Royston motor further up the table after clocking up 'milestone' away victory in A505 Derby
Crows fly up to eighth position in the league, leapfrogging the Canaries in the process, after extending their unbeaten run to four matches and securing first back-to-back away wins since April 2022.
Royston Town extended their unbeaten run to four games and came from a goal behind to beat local rivals Hitchin Town to win 2-1 on August Bank Holiday Monday at Top Field.
On a sunny afternoon this battle of the birds from opposite ends of a road in North Hertfordshire saw an attendance of 726 supporters flock to Hitchin’s stadium in the summer sunshine to watch the Canaries play the Crows.
In winning the game Royston earned the bragging rights and, at the same time, avenged last month’s Herts Charity Cup defeat against Hitchin in what was a competitive, engaging and — at times; enthralling if a little scrappy — game at Fishponds Road.
But from a Royston Town perspective. Who cares if three points are hard earned through the execution of two set pieces?
It was the first time since April 2022 — or 499 days— that the Crows had enjoyed the feeling of winning successive away games having last picked up back to back victories on the road [away to Coalville on 5th and Rushall Olympic on 16th April 2022]: a whole year, four months and twelve days, to be precise.
The home side started much the better of the two teams and controlled much of the opening half, particularly the first 20 minutes, yet failed to take advantage of their dominance. That said, Hitchin did get the breakthrough and took an early lead in the 9th minute when Bradley Bell, a former Crow himself, ghosted into the penalty area down the right to get across his man and head in a cross from the opposite flank to score past Louis Chadwick.
The Canaries at this point looked decent value for their slender lead and wanted to extend it ten minutes later when, in the 19th minute, Daniel Idiakhoa’s seeming goal bound effort went wide.
The Crows, conversely, were slower out of the blocks and forgot the blueprint for their recent success in the opening 45 minutes, but the visitors still looked to take advantage of their nous and physicality from set piece opportunities.
The equaliser duly came in 25 minute when Royston won a corner down their right, which was headed home by Matt Bateman after a flick on from Adam Murray.
The players went in at the break on level terms. 1-1 at half time.
Royston improved after the interval, responding positively to the managers team talk, and contrived to get back into employing the philosophy that has resulted in those previous good performances and points in recent weeks.
The visitors created two brilliant chances but wasted both of them in as many between minutes 73 and 74, which resulted in visiting manager Chris Watters getting clearly animated and agitated on the touchline.
But his emotion soon turned to joy and relief in the 76th minute when Royston scored the winning goal courtesy of another set piece through Florian Tsaguim. The commentators on HTFC Radio observed how the forward had a quiet game but acknowledged that he added to his tally of three goals for the season to good effect here.
As the game went on fatigue looked to play it’s part as the game went a bit scrappy and lost its flow and rhythm. Although this could have been as a result of good game management from Royston, some might say.
At one point, a game of pinball, head tennis ensued. But that belied what was otherwise a competitive, engaging and entertaining match.
A bird’s eye view summary
In a post match interview with HTFC Radio, Hitchin’s Stephen Gleeson, said: “We weren’t clinical enough in the first half”. While a tweet, or X, from the official Hitchin Town FC account summed it up by concluding it was a “real game of two halves” with the Canaries playing a “great first half” and Royston “the better team in the second half securing all three points to take back down the A505”.
Royston Town joint manager, Chris Watters, took to X, the platform previously known as Twitter, after the game on Monday night to praise the travelling Crows support. He said: “Say it louder!!!!!!!! MOM for today were you Mob behind the goal! Makes such a difference, I promise you that!”. He added: “Proud of the boys for taking the words at half-time and putting that shift in.”
As the official Royston Town FC X account concluded: “It’s a perfect bank holiday weekend for the Crows! Two goals from set pieces gave the Crows the edge over our local rivals in what was an improved second half by the Crows.”
Crow’s Sqwark Performance Rating — 7 out of 10
Att: 726
