Super campaign ends with derby win

Photo: Tim Bradley

CLOSE CALL . . . Royton’s Craig Schuman (right) challenges an Avro opponent.

Avro 2, Royton Town 4

ROYTON Town finished their FBT Manchester League Premier Division season on a high following a fine win over Avro, but must now await other results to determine their final standing in the table.

Town’s young guns, under the shrewd guidance of manager Mark Howard, catapulted themselves to the top of the table at the turn of the year following an excellent run of results.

They have stayed there ever since, but with several other teams around them having a significant number of games in hand, Town’s fate will not be known until the final weekend of the season.

Howard said: “If somebody would have said (at the start of the season) that we would finish in the top six, I would have taken it, no problem.

“A top-six finish was always our aim but we now wait on other results to see what our final position will be.

“Seven or eight of our players are aged under 19 and when teams come out to face us they perhaps think we are a little lightweight.

“But credit to the lads and it is their energy and quality which has seen us through.

“I felt we were deserved winners against Avro.”

Rob Fuller’s side certainly made a fist of it against Town and, with two games left to play, Avro have the opportunity to end their campaign in the upper reaches of the table.

Avro drew 2-2 at home against Stockport Georgians on Tuesday.