| Date | Tuesday 21 October 2014 |
| Match | Royston Town v Potters Bar Town |
| Competition | FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay |
| Result | Won 4-1 |
| Attendance |
101 |
| Royston Scorers | Fehmi(2), Ingrey, Dobson |
| Crows MoM |
Ryan Ingrey |
Royston Town dominated this replayed FA Trophy cup tie from start to finish against a good Potters Bar Town side that always looked potentially dangerous on the break.
Man of the match Ryan Ingrey was instrumental in all four of the Crows’ goals and his all-round inspirational lung bursting performance was a pleasure to watch.
Early movement from both teams brought chances but no real on target efforts at both ends and it was the hosts that seemed to settle first despite losing influential midfielder Ryan Lockett on 14 minutes to a recurring hamstring problem, being immediately replaced like for like by Robbie Nightingale for his first game play for a month.
Two minutes later the Crows got their first goal with Ingrey’s strong on the ball play on the right and his resultant low driven dangerous cross/shot was powered into the net from three yards by the ever alert striker Kaan Fehmi.
The Scholars tried to hit back immediately and a good move saw home team keeper Dominic Russo scrambling slightly, but then ultimately watching as the shot went just wide.
The more potent home side doubled their lead on 31 minutes when another tricky run from Ingrey resulted him being upended in the box and Fehmi made no mistake from the resulting spot kick.
Again the visitors responded well to conceding and Russo was called upon to make a smart save and Jack Bradshaw executed some cool defending with a deft head over his own bar from a challenging cross ball in.
The link up play from Royston’s midfield, notably the sterling work by Scott Bridges, together with the movement and hold up play from the Crow’s attack force was the difference in this entertaining half and whilst Potters Bar were never out of the battle, Royston were winning the war.
Half Time 2-0 to the Crows.
A half time substitution saw George Powell replace Lewis Endacott in defence with Bradshaw switching to right back as Powell took his favoured centre half role.
The first ten minutes of the second half was similar to that of the first with determination from both sides being highlighted and possibly edged by the Crows with the excellent no nonsense work from the Bridges brothers allowing the energy of Ingrey and winger Chris Watters to flourish.
Watters was replaced on the hour by Reece Dobson to add further impetus and the Crows dominated the next 15 minutes totally and numerous chances were created to take this game further away from their scrabbling visitors. Unbelievably no goal was forthcoming from this sustained period of creation and it was the plucky visitors who on 70 minutes got a goal against the run of play when a slight mix up in the centre of the home team defence saw striker Josh Hutchinson pounce and coolly slot home past the diving Russo.
There was no home team panic, just visible dogged determination not to let this game go and Royston were ceratinly asked a few questions by the confidence boosted Potters Bar side but dealt confidently with the Scholars attacks and began to re-dominate this cup-tie.
The game owning two goal deficit was regained with a peach of a right flank cross from skipper Bradshaw being met with a well won under pressure header by Ingrey to loop into the net.
Royston’s defensive wall stood firm against a Potters Bar free-kick won during their last real game chasing surge and the Crows put the game beyond doubt with more good work by the tireless Ingrey with a jinking by-line run and neat cut back for Dobson to spin and plant a low shot goal-bound to make the final score 4-1 to Royston and to earn them a home tie against Witham Town in the next round of the FA Trophy.
Team: Russo, Endacott (Powell), Adams, Wharton, Bradshaw, Bridges Scott, Bridges Stuart, Lockett (Nightingale), Fehmi, Ingrey, Watters (Dobson). Subs not used – Mentis, Hammond.
