1 day Ago
Three wins and a draw since Boxing Day have moved the Crows up to seventh in the table, the latest being a very professional 3-0 success away to Barwell. It means they are now just four points behind AFC Telford United who currently occupy the final spot in the top five, although the craziness of the division means they are also just eight points above the relegation zone. The only downside to the afternoon was the loss of Kian Harness to a nasty looking hamstring injury that could put the forward out of action for a number of weeks.
Barwell started the brighter on the artificial surface but created little as the Royston back line quickly worked out the threat of Brad Hickey and Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton, the latter blasting over on six minutes. In contrast, Royston's first real attack on 12 minutes opened the scoring. Archie Locke's sublime cross from the right found the head of Harrison Rookard and he looped the ball over the stranded Will Highland and into the net.
Harness put the ball into the net with his own header on 20 minutes but the flag was raised before celebrations could begin. At the other end Barwell's best chance of the game came six minutes later when the dangerous Deen Master beat the on-rushing Tommy Dixon-Hodge but was under enough pressure to only roll a shot towards goal. It still looked to be going in but an incredible effort from Ed Asafu-Adjaye allowed him to stop the ball dead on the white line before sending the ball to safety.
Discipline was the watchword for the second half as Royston allowed Barwell a lot of possession but once again the hosts created little. And a break forward on 66 minutes doubled the visitors' advantage. The ball fell at the feet of Locke who surged into the box and was only half stopped by keeper Highland, a collision which sent both player and ball wide.
Yet the sprawling Locke was still able to somehow stick out his leg to send the ball over the line for 2-0. Josh Coldicott-Stevens made sure of the points in stoppage time via the penalty spot. Substitute Luke Johnson was upended in the area allowing the former Hitchin man to rifle the ball to the right of Highland.
Another road trip, this time to title chasing Halesowen is up next for the Crows and on this showing, Chris Watters' men have nothing to fear..
