On a cold, autumnal afternoon at Garden Walk, it was visitors Kettering Town, who cemented their position at the top of the table with a hard fought single goal victory.

This much anticipated top of the table clash took a long while to get going, as for large parts of the first half both teams cancelled each other out. Kettering edged the early stages as they dominated possession without really threatening Joe Welch in the Crows goal. Royston gradually worked their way into the game with James Potton registering the first shot on target, but it didn’t really trouble Paul White in the Poppies goal.

The opening goal arrived in the 42^nd minute and was a disappointing one to concede from the Crows point of view. A Royston short corner routine want spectacularly wrong and resulted in Kettering breaking quickly and eventually winning a free kick deep in Royston territory. Marcus Kelly floated in a deep cross that was headed back across goal by visiting skipper Michael Richens and league debutant Dan Holman was on hand to turn the ball in at the far post.

The second half started in the same vein as the first, with chances at a premium as both sides battled for midfield supremacy. Kettering still marginally retained the upper hand and thought they should have had a penalty in the 58^th minute as the ball struck a Crows defender’s hand at close range. Royston were still well in the game though and White was forced into a routine save from a Dan Brathwaite header and David Mooney dragged a low shot wide of the target.

Despite this it was Kettering who remained in control of the game and could have extended their lead as Welch saved well with his legs, before a dangerous corner went straight across the face of the goal and Welch was again forced into action with a good low save from ex-Crow Rhys Hoenes.

Royston were not finished though and continued to threaten as Spyros Mentis saw a shot blocked and Vance Bola forced White into another save from his low shot. However their best chance arrived in the 87^th minute as god work from David Mooney saw him get to the byeline and pull the ball back for the well positioned Potton. Potton connected sweetly with the ball, but a flying White was equal to the effort, turning the ball away to safety.

This was the final chance for the Crows as Kettering, probably just deservedly, left with the 3 points.

Royston (4-3-3): 1-Welch, 2-Scott-Morriss (15-Norville-Williams 59), 3-Joseph, 4-Mentis, 5- Corcoran (16-Corlett 71), 6-Brathwaite ©, 7-Castiglione (12-Bola 59), 8-Thomas, 9-Mooney, 10-Potton, 11-Gordon

Unused: 14-Crowther, GK-Smart

Kettering Town (4-3-3­): 1-White, 2-Berry, 5-Stohrer, 6-Richens ©, 7-Miekle, 8-O’Connor (10-Milnes 85), 9-Holman, 11-Hoenes (4-Solkhon 83), 12-Kelly-Evans (18-Rowe-Turner 85), 14-Kelly, 15-Towers

Unused: 13-Elsom, 16-Graham

Attendance: 559