Crows test for Blues

BLUES will look to start 2018 with a win when they open the New Year on Monday with a home game against Royston Town, kick-off 3pm.

The game will see the first league meetings between the two clubs, but the last three years have seen Blues come out on top in county cup ties against the Crows, including a 1-0 victory in the 2015 Charity Cup final.

The put last July’s defeat against the Blues in the quarter-final in the same competition behind them to romp to the Evo-Stik Central Division title, scoring 121 goals in just 42 games and winning the title by 12 points.

Former Takeley boss Steve Castle has put together an squad with plenty of experience at a higher level, and after a slow start they are moving up the table. Tuesday’s 2-1 win against Hitchin was followed by a 3-0 home victory against high flying Tiverton to send them into the New Year sitting in 10h spot with 37 points from 22 matches, and games in hand over all the sides above them.

After being Evo-Stik South Premier strugglers Dunstable Town in the FA Cup first qualifying round they went out at home in a replace against National League South side Braintree Town.
They also progressed in the FA Trophy with wins against Enfield Town and Leatherhead before losing on penalties against another National League South Eastbourne Borough following a pair of draws.

The Crows’ rapid rise from being perennial also-rans in the Spartan South Midlands League to the third tier of non-league football have seen crowds grow considerably, just breaking the 200 barrier last season and increasing to 243 this season..

Source Basingstoke Town FC