A ten minute hat-trick, wrapped around the half time interval, from Adam Murray, proved to be the decisive period of play, as Royston recorded a fourth successive league victory.

In stark contrast to the entertaining 6-4 encounter played out between these two teams earlier in the season, the first 37 minutes of this contest was instantly forgettable, as the ball spent the majority of the time being launched skywards. However, it was at this point the first real action of the game took place, as a direct, pacey run from Tom Knowles was brought to a halt by Biggleswade substitute Ben Walster. The offence clearly took place a yard inside the penalty area, but to the amazement of all those in close proximity, the referee decided it had taken place outside of the box. The fiercely struck free-kick was well blocked, but the reprieve for Biggleswade was only to last two minutes as Adam Murray opened the scoring with the first bit of quality displayed all game.

Latching onto a long ball forward from Knowles, Murray cleverly avoided the attention of Jordan Gent, before striking an early low shot from the edge of the box past home keeper Sam Donkin, who slipped as he was trying to get himself set for the shot from Murray.

The second goal of the hat-trick arrived in the first minute of the second half, as Murray capitalised on some hesitant defending, latching onto a Gus Scott-Morriss through ball, to lob the ball over Donkin who found himself in no-man’s land.

Two quickly became three as Murray completed his treble in the 49^th minute. A high ball into the box from Josh Castiglione should have been dealt with by Donkin, but with Murray contesting it, the keeper was unable to gather. Murray reacted quickest to head the loose ball into the unguarded net.

With the game now over as a contest, things got worse for the Waders just a minute later as Donkin saw red. Perhaps frustrated with his performance and being reminded of this by the away contingent, Donkin rushed from his goal to instigate a melee that was only ever going to lead to a red card for the home keeper.

Without a substitute goalkeeper, home number 10 Matt Ball was forced to put on the gloves. With Royston having a comfortable lead he remained largely untroubled, but did make one excellent save from Eren Kinali’s fierce close range drive.

Biggleswade continued to battle hard, never throwing in the towel and were rewarded in the 85^th minute, as ex-Garden Walk favourite Jack Bradshaw scored with an excellent controlled volley from the edge of the box.

It was the Crows who had the last word though, as Ball showed his goalkeeping inadequacies, by failing to collect a routine ball on the edge of his box by the goal line. The ever willing Knowles capitalised on this mistake, running the ball along the goal line, before cutting backward and finishing, despite the efforts of the home defence and Ball, trying to atone for his error.

12 points, 11 goals and just one conceded in the past four league games has seen a welcome return to form for the Crows, the burning question now is whether they have left it too late to have a say in the play-off shake-up?

Royston: 1-Welch, 2-Scott-Morriss, 3-Brathwaite © (12-Neal 70), 4-Kinali, 5-Murray (15-Stanley 70), 6-Parr, 7-Joseph, 8-Knight, 9-Castiglione (16-Potton 58), 10-Knowles, 11-Newton

Unused: 14-Gordon, 17-Bola

MOM: Adam Murray