Royston Town 1–1 Halesowen Town
Attendance: 425 – Garden Walk
Royston Town earned a well-deserved point after a spirited performance saw them draw 1–1 with Halesowen Town at Garden Walk.
The visitors had the first sight of goal after just five minutes when Jason Cowley’s speculative effort was comfortably saved by Jamie Head. The Crows quickly settled, with Kian Harness heading wide from a fine Warner-Eley cross on seven minutes. Royston continued to press, and midway through the half, Archie Locke twice tested Daniel Platt with powerful strikes from the edge of the box, both well parried by the Halesowen keeper.
Despite Royston’s dominance, it was the Yeltz who took the lead in the 37th minute when Head failed to hold a shot, allowing the clinical Cowley to pounce and fire home. The hosts pushed for an equaliser before the break and had a strong penalty appeal waved away after what looked like holding in the box.
The Crows came flying out in the second half, with Harvey Beckett’s close-range effort cleared off the line within a minute of the restart. A flurry of substitutions disrupted the flow, but Royston maintained their momentum and were finally rewarded in the 88th minute when Josh Boorn unleashed a ferocious right-foot strike that flew past Platt to make it 1–1.
It was no less than the Crows deserved for a much-improved, relentless display.
Entertainment: 4/5
StarMan: Archie Locke
