With the news that the proposed merger between Bedford Town and Real Bedford is not going ahead, it looks like the destination of the league winners trophy will be settled, where it belongs, on the pitch. The outcome of our final three games will dictate the success our league season and the games are coming thick and fast beginning with the home game against Royston Town today at Latimer Park.

Following last Saturday’s great performance with a 0-2 away win at Bishop’s Stortford, KTFC, having only lost once in our last ten games and are looking for three points at home with only three games left this campaign, two at home and one away with a potential nine points at stake. With AFC Telford having already played on Friday winning emphatically 7-1 away at Lowestoft and Harborough Town winning away at Redditch 0-1, Saturday will witness league leaders Bedford Town at home to Stratford, Stamford AFC play Banbury at home whilst Halesowen face a long trip away at Leiston. Eight points separating the top five and four points between the top four.

‘The Crow’s’, under the managership of Chris Watters, are on good form, having only been beaten twice in their past ten games and have achieved a 1-0 win at home against Bedford which leaves them in a respectable 11th place in the league. In the last six game league overall form guide, they are 13th in all games (6 points from a possible 18), home tenth place (having picked up 10 points from a possible 18) and 13th in the away form league (six points from six games). Nine places and 15 points separate the two teams.

KTFC, unbeaten in their last six games with two wins (Alvechurch 0-1; Bishop’s Stortford 0-2) together with four draws (Lowestoft Town 0-0; AFC Telford 1-1; Stamford AFC 1-1 and Hitchin 2-2), reside in second place in the league. The Poppies sit 8th in the overall form guide have attained 10 points from a possible 18 (11th place for home form (9 from 18 points) and second position for away matches (11 points out of 18). A point in our next three games will guarantee a playoff place. Our record against Royston is not stellar having lost twice in recent encounters. However, with the prospect of a fully fit squad and the incentive of still being in hunt for the championship, its going down to the wire. COYP!

                                                                 ROYSTON TOWN

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2013-14        H        CLD1C          5-0     669     Gooding (p), Sandy, Moreman, Logan, Jepson

                     A        CLD1C          0-0     234

2014-15        H        ESLD1C       5-0     607     Kolodynski.3, Hall, Sandy

                     A        ESLD1C       2-1     446     Sandy, Ogbonna

2017-18        H        ESP              4-1     500     Solkhon, Stevens, O’Connor, Meikle

                     A        ESP              3-4     410     Meikle, Stevens, Solkhon (p)

2018-19        H        ESLSPC       1-0     661     O’Connor

                     A        ESLSPC       1-0     559     Holman

2023-24        H        PISPLC        3-1     555     Mellors-Blair (p), Own goal, Lewthwaite

                     A        PISLPC        0-4     446

2024-25        A        PISLPC        0-1     584    

POPPIES WINS:   7   GOALS FOR:    24

CROWS WINS:       3                                        GOALS AGAINST:              12

DRAWS                  1

Most goals in a game for the Poppies v Royston Town (3)

David Koloyndski (2014-15)

Most goals in Poppies career against Royston Town (3)

David Koloyndski, Elliott Sandy.

Played for both clubs (10)                                                  

Goalkeepers

Richard Nugent, David Theobald, Paul Bastock, Tommy Hull, Rhys Hoenes, Tom Knowles, James Brighton, Josh Oyinsan, Claudio Ofosu, Jonny Edwards.

League debuts (3)

Andrew Osei-Siribour         22:02:2014 (h)

Reubus Richard-Noel         25:10:2014 (a)

Andrew Watts                    13:12:2014 (h)

Kettering Town players sent off v Royston Town (1)

Dan Jezeph                       07:09:2024 (a)

Royston Town players sent off v Kettering Town (2)

Sam Corcoran                   2018-19 (h)

Oluwakoyejo Dawodu        2024-25 (a)

Own goals scored by Royston Town v Kettering Town (1)

Harvey Beckett                  2023-24 (h)

Manager                           Chris Watters                                                             

Ground                             Garden Walk                                                             

Nickname                         The Crows

Position in League           11^th – 55pts from 39 games                              

Leading League scorer     6 – Adam Murray   

FORM LAST 5                 

Form last Overall             WWDLD       8pts

Form last away                WLDLD        5pts             

Form last home                 WDDDD        7pts

THE CROWS SO FAR…..