CASTLE’S KING OF THE UPSETS

STEVE CASTLE can’t wait to lead Royston Town’s latest quest for a cup upset – and even welcomes the selection headache that is likely to come with it.

Castle’s Crows were the toast of the FA Trophy third qualifying round last Saturday when they stunned National League South leaders Wealdstone on their home patch.

And their reward was another tantalising tie – a home Hertfordshire derby against top-flight neighbours Boreham Wood – in the first round proper on December 14.

Castle’s response to seeing off Wealdstone last Saturday was to shuffle the side around for the league visit of Stratford Town on Tuesday night, a game which they went on to win by the same 3-2 scoreline.

Now it’s left the experienced Crows boss with a welcome selection headache ahead of a busy schedule, with his young squad perhaps sensing the start of something special at Garden Walk.

“We’ve got a good squad of 18 or 19 vying for 11 places at the moment,” Castle told The NLP. “I changed a few things around a bit on Tuesday night and we still got the result, so selection now is not easy.

“I’ve been a manager a long time and I’m used to making these decisions but it’s still not easy when you have a young lad who is performing but gets pipped for his place. It’s the benefit of having a good squad, so it’s up to them to step up and nail down their shirt.”

Indeed, with three BetVictor Southern Premier Central league games still to play before Luke Garrard’s Boreham Wood come to town, Castle has plenty of time to rediscover the winning formula which sunk the Stones so impressively last Saturday. He’s done it once and can do it again, Castle though is under no illusions as to the task that awaits.

“Boreham Wood are a very good team full of top, full-time players so, of course, it’s going to be very tough,” Castle adds.

“But our cup form this year has been great and if we can equip ourselves the way we did at Wealdstone on Saturday then I believe we are capable of pulling off another scalp.

“Our finishing was exceptional on Saturday – which isn’t said a lot of the time – and we got the rub of the green. If we can reproduce that, in front of a home crowd in a local derby, then who knows?”