CASTLE IS IN RUINS AFTER REF DECISIONS
Royston manager fuming
THERE was drama and ugly scenes in equal measure as Stourbridge scored a late goal at Amblecote to leapfrog Royston and move into third place.
Royston boss Steve Castle felt play should have been stopped for a foul on substitute Jordan Norvell Williams before Stourbridge's Callum Powell took the ball on and fired home a winner with the outside of his boot.
Castle remonstrated with the referee and was eventually sent off, running the gauntlet of the home fans and having to be rescued by some of his own players after an altercation by the tunnel.
He said: "Officials seem to be appointed from within a few miles of the home side.
“I better not say too much as I’m already in trouble.”
Stourbridge manager Gary Hackett said: “From my point of view it doesn't matter what I feel about the incident, the important thing about it is Callum went on to score a wonderful goal and win us the game.
“I have been a manager for a long time and had to take abuse from fans and others when away from home, the important thing is you just have to ignore it or it will flare up, though I don't think the referee helped matters particularly well.”
Both sides put up good performances in the terrible windy conditions and the game could have gone either way, Royston actually having the ball in the net twice in the first half through Sam Corcoran and Chris Assombalonga, only for them to be ruled out for handball and offside respectively.
James Potton also had a
great chance to grab the lead when he found himself in space with only James Wren to beat but seemed to hesitate and shot straight at him.
The home side did take the lead on the stroke of half time when Luke Benbow cleverly fed the ball through in the box to Robert Thompson-Brown, who lifted it over Joe Welch and into the net.
But on 51 minutes Corcoran sent a hard free-kick straight at Wren who couldn't hold it and Assombalonga followed up to score. Wren made up for the goal nine minutes later when he saved Corcoran's shot well from another set piece.
Stourbridge pushed towards the end, with Benbow again going close but it looked like the game would end as a draw before the goal on 87 minutes which proved to be the final blow.
Castle said: "I think a draw would have been a fair result, I have no problem with the way we played in appalling conditions.” STAR MAN: Thompson-Brown (S’Bridge) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★