Ex-Crow Taylor Parr proved to be the match winner, as second from bottom St Neots avenged their 5-0 thrashing earlier on in the season.

Centre-half Parr’s goal scoring ability should have been no surprise to Crows fans, as in one of his last games in a white shirt, he scored a memorable hat-trick from left back against Marlow. The decisive moment in this match came in the 82nd minute, as a static looking Crows defence, could only watch as Parr swept home a Johnny Herd cross, to the great delight of the home players and supporters who celebrated the much needed three point earning goal.

As has been the pattern in recent matches, Royston enjoyed more than their fair share of possession, but lacked the final cutting edge to trouble home goalkeeper Finley Iron. Indeed the only meaningful save he had to make, came in the 44th minute, when he got down low at his near post to turn a Rohdell Gordon shot away.

The Crows did have the ball in the net twice, in the 30th minute Vance Bola drilled a low shot home, only to see it disallowed for a previous foul and after 56 minutes Adam Murray’s close range header was chalked off for offside, both times the officials looked to have made the correct call.

Other than this, the closest Royston came to breaking the deadlock were 2 Sam Corcoran efforts that were both repelled by the crossbar. A first half header in the lead up to Bola’s disallowed effort and a cross cum shot in the second half that actually hit the woodwork twice before being cleared by the home defence.

St Neots for their part always looked a threat and Joe Welch was again in excellent form in the Crows goal, making 3 excellent stops to keep the scores level. Twice in the first 10 minutes he was called upon, as he saved well from Devante Stanley and then from James Hall, after good work from another ex-Crow Jordon Norville-Williams. The trio of saves were completed in the 68th minute as he once again got down low, to turn away a Scott Pollock effort that looked destined for the corner of the net.

In the end, Welch was left with no chance with what ultimately proved to be the winner, as St Neots claimed the three points. Further performances like this from St Neots should see them climb away from the relegation zone, whilst Royston must try and improve their league form to arrest their slide down the table. With tough looking games coming up against Kings Lynn and then Kettering, they will need to be sharper in and around goal to try and get themselves back up in the play-off picture again.

Royston: 1-Welch, 2-Joseph, 3-Newton, 4-Thomas, 5-Murray, 6-Brathwaite ©, 7-Castiglione (17-Scott-Morriss 68), 8-Mentis, 9-Bola, 10-Newman (15-Corcoran 27), 11-Gordon (14-Gallin 68)

Unused: 12-Green, 16-Oswick

MOM: Joe Welch