Stamford AFC are beaten by Royston Town in the Southern League

Stamford were forced to use three goalkeepers before finishing Saturday's home defeat with Royston Town with nine men.

The Daniels had seen goalkeeper Michael Duggan red-carded in the second half of the Southern League Premier Division Central clash.

He was replaced by Billy Bennett who then resumed his outfield duties after being beaten by a long distance strike for Royston's leveller which saw Will Glennon don the goalkeeper's jersey.

After Bennett sustained an injury, he went back in goal before eventually being stretchered off after sustaining season-ending ankle ligament damage.

Royston had by this time scored their second goal of the game to clinch the win after a frustrating afternoon for Stamford boss Graham Drury.

He said: "The footballing Gods just weren't with us and you need them at crucial times.

"Everything that could go wrong did and it was really frustrating. It just wasn't meant to be our day.

"The sending off changed the game because we were in control and didn't look like losing it."

There had been two changes to the Stamford starting line up following the win against Leiston with Duggan and Connor Bartle replacing Dan Wallis and Bennett.

However, Bartle was forced off due to injury inside the opening 10 minutes and then the visitors had the first chance as Adam Murray headed towards goal which Duggan was able to tip over the bar.

Stamford had a great chance to open the scoring after 20 minutes when a header from James Blunden beat the goalkeeper but Alfie Williams cleared the ball off the line.

This was followed by efforts from Rhys Hilton, who had a shot that went wide, and then Lee Shaw teed up Jack Duffy but the Daniels frontman put his effort over the bar.

Duffy did open the scoring on 31 minutes when a cross from Shaw found the Daniels' top scorer and he held off a Royston defender and slotted the ball past Rylee Mitchell in the visitors' goal.

Shaw shot wide in first half injury time before James Brighton crossed in a free kick but his effort was too close to Duggan who managed to collect the ball.

The game changed on 55 minutes when Samson Esan raced clear of the Daniels back line and Duggan came out to close the gap.

Unfortunately the Daniels keeper collided with the Royston forward and the referee showed Duggan a straight red card with Bennett taking over in goal. From the resultant free-kick Andronicos Georgiou fired over the bar.

However, the lead did not last long as Royston equalised on 59 minutes when Georgiou curled an effort into the top corner.

This was followed by an effort by Damaray Anyadike which Bennett managed to hold but, a few minutes later during a break in play, Glennon took over in goal.

Royston took the lead on seventy-nine minutes when Anyadike crossed the ball from the right and unfortunately, under pressure from a Royston forward, substitute Jon Challinor knocked the ball into his own net.

With time running out, Stamford were reduced to nine men when Bennett, who was back in goal by this point, was caught by a Royston player and this resulted in him being stretchered off as the Daniels fell to their fifth home league loss of the season.