For the second week in succession Royals came good again in the second half after a poor first half. However this time they left themselves with too much to do and were unable to pull back a 2 goal first half deficit. Over the whole game Royals were out performed by a strong and well organised Market Drayton side, who deserved their win.

Market Drayton started strongly and put the Royals on the back foot for the first period. They had the control of the midfield and were able to make good use of the pace of their strikers. This pressure eventually paid dividends when they were rewarded with three first half goals, to which the Royals struggled to respond.

However Royals were rewarded with goal 8 minutes from the end of the first half, when Green found himself with the ball, 5 yards out, after a goalmouth scramble. He fired home to make the score 1-3.

Royals did have other chances in the first half, with Smith hitting the post and Green heading over from a Hearle corner, but luck was not on their side.

Royals upped their performance in the second period and became more involved in the middle of the field. This in turn led to them creating more chances and providing a better service to the strikers.

Smith scored the Royals' second goal when he was sharpest to the ball, in a goalmouth scramble,  making the score 2-3. They now believed that they had a chance to claw their way back into the game to salvage one or more points.

Unfortunately Market Drayton came back stronger and within 3 minutes regained their 2 goal margin, again pace being the problem to the Royals' defence. Royals opponents' fifth goal came after a long range shot ricocheted of the body of Miles and past the helpless Keugler.

Moffat gave Royals a lifeline with 7 minutes remaining, with a trademark header from a Hearle out swinging corner. However Market Drayton had the last laugh when they completed their sixth goal with 5 minutes remaining.

Royals had several other good chances during the second half, with Lewis going close with a header, Smith saw his shot well saved by the keeper and Hearle saw his shot just creep into the side netting.

A good and spirited second half performance by the Royals, but they will need to learn to be able to turn it on from the commencement of the game, if they are to become a serious threat to the teams at the top of the league.

Team: Keugler, Agnew, Green, Al-Houbani, Baker, Weynberg (Miles 50), Hearle, Moffat, Fielding, Lewis, Smith