| Date | Saturday 24 August 2013 |
| Match | Royston Town v Potters Bar Town |
| Competition | Calor League: Central Division One |
| Result | Won 4-2 |
| Attendance |
206 |
| Royston Scorers | Mason, Bryant, Hammond, De La Salle |
| Crows MoM |
Lewis Endacott |
Royston picked up their first home league win of the season in what was an entertaining game. For a third consecutive game manager Paul Attfield picked the same starting eleven and as per Tuesday's game versus North Greenford United the team had to come from behind after a slow start.
Rain during the day meant that the ball moved around at a fast tempo on the pitch and it was the visitors who started better with some swift probing but it was a gift from The Crows that allowed them a 13th minute lead. Royston, switching off from a throw in by the corner flag, allowed the winger a free cross that was met by an equally free header from eight yards from Dean Green who made no mistake.
It probably needed this to kick start Royston's game and this was the case as the home side went on to largely dominate proceedings until half time. The Crows won a number of corners that came to nothing and some of their brightest play was thwarted by too many offside calls that was very frustrating.
Good chances fell to Ross Collins and Ryan Ingrey around the edge of the area that were on target but easily saved until the deserved equaliser came on 27 minutes. A neat move ended with Robbie Nightingale striking goal wards with the ball swerving viciously the keeper could only parry the wet ball and Robbie Mason reacted quickest to half volley in the rebound for his fifth goal in four competitive games.
The Crows were unable to breach the hard working Potters Bar team again beforehalf time but they did have good momentum that they took into the second half.
An early bright corner kick routine saw Jack Bradshaw power a shot just wide of a post and Craig Hammond also went close as Royston started the half on top.
A deserved 60th minute lead was achieved when a half cleared corner was won back by Lewis Endacott on the right and his positive run and whipped in cross was turned in by Mitchell Bryant at the near post.
This lead was further extended just three minutes later when Nightingale won a good tackle inside the visitor's half with the loose ball falling to Craig Hammond who struck a sweet left footer into the bottom corner for his first league goal of the season.
With Monday's game at Dunstable Town in mind, Paul Attfield made a triple substitution with 20 minutes remaining which momentarily affected the quality and tempo of the home side's game.
This culminated in another poor goal being conceded with ten minutes remaining with The Crows losing the ball high up the pitch and leaving themselves open to a counter attack. The outnumbering presented the chance for Dean Green who shot inside George Lawton's near post to set up a tense finale.
To be fair Royston never looked like conceding again and Rob Mason could have had another when he got behind the defence but the keeper blocked his effort and Ryan Lockett just failed to control an excellent left wing cross from Bradshaw when free in front of goal.
The scoreline was given a degree of respectability in the final seconds when Mason was pulled down just outside the box and Joe De La Salle blasted in the 20 yard free kick giving the keeper no chance.
Team: Lawton, Endacott (Parr), Bradshaw, De La Salle, Cambridge, Collins, Ingrey, Nightingale (Edwards), Hammond (Lockett), Mason, Bryant. Unused: Turner
