Lge (H)
Lost 1-2
(H/T 1-2)
The injury hoodoo struck again before Moulton’s latest match against Royston Under23s when regular keeper Filipe Mederios was ruled out with an ankle injury, joining Alex Lowery and Dan Camacho already side lined, Nathan Adamson deputised. Neither side could get a grip in a scrappy opening half an hour with neither keeper seriously troubled but the visitors took the lead on 28 minutes, when a Royston central defender wandered into midfield before playing a ball over the top of Moulton’s defence and Kian Harness lobbed a committed Adamson from 30 yards. This stung Moulton into action and straight from the kick off Aaron Dickins crossed from the left and Luca Iaciofano saw his back post header tipped over, from the resulting corner Dickins and Andy Hall combined and Hall saw his shot blocked to the edge of the box where Francis Boetang was fouled. From that free kick Dickins also saw his shot also blocked and within 10 minutes the visitors were 2 ahead when a free kick from 25 yards by Thomas Newman beat Adamson’s despairing dive and nestled in the bottom corner. With 2 minutes of the half left and against the run of play the Magpies were given a life line when top scorer NAT ANSU picked up the ball outside the box and beat a couple of defenders before slipping the ball past the advancing keeper.
HALF TIME MOULTON 1 ROYSTON U23 2
The visitors started the second half on top and a long range shot whistled over the home goal but gradually Mouton started to take control but still looked vulnerable on the break. With 20 mins left Steffano Koffi replaced Albert Mensah in midfield and at this stage the visitors began to look tired and Ansu had a shot blocked as the home side pressed for an equaliser. Koffi was next to attempt an equaliser but shot well over and with 10 minutes left another of the promising Under 18 squad Leon Rush replaced Patrick Medan. Within a minute it could have been 2-2. Iaciofano put Hall away on the right and his cross was flicked up by Ansu but his overhead kick went inches wide. Cole Mason saw a shot from the edge of the box fly wide of the target and Ansu again had a shot blocked following another cross from Hall, and right at the death Ansu had the ball in the net but was rightly judged offside. It was a pity that Moulton didn’t start really playing until the last half hour and may rue the chance to beat another mid table side when the final reckoning arrives in April.
FINAL SCORE MOULTON 1 ROYSTON U23 2
TEAM. Adamson, Mason, Dickins,A Mensah, Melling, Boetang,J Mensah, Hall, Ansu, Iaciiofano, Medan. Subs Koffi, Rush, Unused; Allibone, Dolby
ATTENDANCE 256

Editor - Steve Alibone