| Date | Saturday 18 April 2015 |
| Match | Royston Town v Chalfont St Peter |
| Competition | Evo-Stik League Southern: Division One Central |
| Result | Drew 0-0 |
| Attendance |
184 |
| Royston Scorers | – |
| Crows MoM |
Spyros Mentis |
Finishing line anxiety was in evidence today as Royston Town, seeking to cement second place and seal the important home advantage for the play-off semi-final, and ideally the final as well, drew a disappointing blank against a Chalfont St Peter FC side, who showed no more real ambition than not being embarrassed in this fixture.
With other results in the division meaning that all four play-off positions are all undecided going into the final fixtures it is all still to play for and the Crows travel to Rugby Town who themselves are fighting to get amongst the end of season action – currently sitting in 6th position.
Positives were another clean-sheet, with the defence looking concentrated and organised and with keeper Ron Yates dealing with whatever came his way well.
Not so positive was the lack of cutting edge in the final third and chances were spurned, rushed, missed or worse ignored and ex-Royston Reserve team goalkeeper, Mikey Pearce, was barely tested.
Early dead ball efforts, so effective in previous games, were poorly delivered and the first clear cut chance came as late as the 34th minute when good link up play from Chris Watters and Ryan Ingrey fed Scott Bridges for a 20 yard short that was well hit but went straight at Pearce. Both instigators of this move will miss next week’s Rugby match and the first play-off game, with Ingrey not playing again this season through suspensions.
With one eye on this absence, Ingrey was replaced by Steve Castle at half-time with top-scorer Kaan Fehmi and Jack Bradshaw came on for right back Ryan Wharton who seemed to be struggling with an injury.
Cohesiveness was not improved in the second period and the home team huffed and puffed without creating any real clear cut chances and their season done visitors looked satisfied with a point as their own forays forward were rare.
The last fifteen minutes of the match saw increased urgency and haste from the Crows as time ticked away and the frustration at not scoring became palpable.
A cast-iron penalty was not awarded by the referee as Fejiri Okenabirhie was hauled down in the box as he was about to shoot and following an 80th minute substitution of Watters for Gus Scott-Morriss, Okenabirhie had the ball in the net following some decent build up play – but he was clearly offside as he tapped in at the far post.
We go to Rugby looking for at least a draw to seal a play-off home tie – with Aylesbury and Bedworth still nibbling at our ankles for the coveted runners up spot.
Team: Yates, Wharton (Bradshaw), Watters (Scott-Morriss), Powell, McDevitt, Bridges Scott, Bridges Stuart, Mentis, Hart, Okenabirhie , Ingrey (Fehmi).
Subs not used – Nightingale, Theobald.
