Young guns do the business for Town

Royton Town 6, Tempest Utd 2

FOOTBALL: ROYTON Town breezed into the second round of the Lancashire Amateur Shield with a comfortable victory over Tempest United at the Oldham Academy North 3G.

With an average age of just 19, manager Mark Howard, who succeeded Phil Haigh as Town boss in the summer, clearly has one eye on the future for his exuberant young guns.

Howard said: “This team will be challenging for the (FBT Manchester League) title in 18 months to two years’ time. That is definitely our aim.

“For the time being, I have made it clear that stability in the Premier Division is our priority for this season.”

Town hold a mid-table slot in the league and, on the evidence of the performance against West Lancashire League top-flight opponents Tempest, who could argue with Howard’s bold statement.

Howard’s charges blew away Tempest with four unanswered goals in the opening half.

Howard said: “It took us a while to settle down because a more experienced Tempest side tried to knock us out of our stride in the opening stages.

“We were a bit sloppy in the second half and lost our shape but we were very comfortable winners in the end.”

Town looked very much at home on their new base at the Oldham Academy North and, as far as league matters are concerned, look set to spring a few surprises in the months ahead.

After last season’s struggle when Town only escaped relegation on the final day of the campaign, Howard added: “I am 100 per-cent certain we will not be in that situation again.

“It may sound pompous, but we are too good a footballing side to let that happen again.”

And how it showed against Tempest.