Date	Saturday 28 January 2017
Match	Royston Town v Uxbridge
Competition	Evostik League Southern: Division One Central
Result	Won 5-2
Attendance	182
Royston Scorers	Nolan(2), Scott Bridges, Brathwaite, Orlando-Young
Crows MoM	Josh Castiglione

After an enforced bad weather lay-off of 11 days the Crows returned to league action with a home clash against Uxbridge FC whose away form this season has been excellent. Any momentum from the superb win over Farnborough was almost nullified but Royston began again by putting in a dogged performance scoring 5 again but this time conceding 2 to their plucky opponents.

The Crows seized the initiative early with the alert Matt Nolan showing true poacher instincts to punish two goalkeeper/defensive slips to notch twice.

Firstly, on 4 minutes he followed up a keeper spill to strike home. 1-0. Then on 12 minutes a high speculative lobbed effort was put up by Kaan Fehmi and under pressure and possibly impeded the Uxbridge keeper again lost control and Nolan was there to nod in. 2-0.

With Scott Bridges imperious throughout this match we saw steady controlled build up on a tacky pitch and pacey and defence stretching runs by the lively Josh Castiglione with Adam Watkins doing good work on a difficult surface linking up midfield and attack with his cool and calm ball retention.

Uxbridge go a life-line on 36 minutes as the away side got a corner from a rare attack and the ball was sent over low only for Stuart Bridges to slice his clearance goal-ward, looping high and imperfectly over the flailing and stranded Joe Welch. 2-1.

The Crows had the lion’s share of the further efforts on target but it was the slim one goal advantage that was maintained up until half-time.

This game was all but settled on 50 minutes with a moment of pure class.

The hard working Nolan was bundled to the ground centrally outside the box and the 20 yard free kick was lined up by Scott Bridges. The dead ball strike from the Royston skipper was close to perfection as it sped by the admiring keeper high into his left hand corner. 3-1.

Two quick substitutions saw Matt Nolan and Adam Watkins leave the pitch and they were replaced by the returning John Frendo and Spyros Mentis.

Uxbridge’s task was made even harder as Mitch Wiseman was shown a straight red for a lunging, but not particularly dangerous, tackle on Fehmi and he departed the field on 61 minutes.

The last Crows’ substitution brought on Rod Orlando-Young for Kaan Fehmi on 62 minutes.

It was all Royston pressure and this was rewarded with two more goals.

On 73 minutes a fine free kick in by Orlando-Young was met firmly by powerhouse Adam Murray but his headed effort was well saved only to fall to Dan Brathwaite who had a simple tap in. 4-1.

Then on 80 minutes a recycled short corner routine was eventually driven in low by Mentis and Orlando-Young executed an audacious flick that wrong-footed everyone and settled low in the Uxbridge net. 5-1.

The visitors scored a consolation second from Matthew Woods on 91 minutes. 5-2. But this game was done and another three points secured by the high flying Crows.

Team:  Welch, Towner, Brathwaite, Bridges Scott, Murray, Bridges Stuart, Fehmi (Orlando-Young), Watkins (Mentis), Nolan (Frendo), Powell, Castiglione.

Subs not used – Frater, May.