WELWYN GC will be disappointed in taking just a point from the first game under floodlights at the new look Herns Way.
The Citizens dominated most of the game with newly relegated Royston, in a match watched by Southern League chairman David Martin, on his first visit to WGC.
WGC were always the more pleasing side to watch against at times, a somewhat cynical, hard tackling visiting Crows, but despite this, they had to fight back hard after trailing for 35 minutes, for a point.
Manager Gavin Kelsey was able to welcome back full-back Brad Dixon-Smith and forward Kendall Gyamfi to his squad, both having missed the FA Trophy trip to Eastbourne three days earlier.
Nick Ralfe had an early chance for WGC, but shot weakly at Royston keeper Elliot Krasniqi.
The home side came within an ace of taking a 16th minute lead, hitting the Royston woodwork twice in one move, in a massive let-off for the visitors.
Luis Cantello fired a long ball out to match star Junior Moses. He turned Royston full-back Ivanov inside and out before cutting in and beating keeper Krasniqi with a rising shot which struck the post. It diverted across goal to where Ralfe fired goalwards, also to hit the woodwork.
Sadly for the home fans in a 230 plus crowd, Malik Nosike put the third effort in the side netting.
Royston cashed in on that let-off by taking the lead 10 minutes from the break, a right-wing move saw the ball pulled back for Josh Coldicott-Stevens to drive a placed effort beyond Connor Sansom, in the home goal, into the bottom corner.
It was harsh only WGC, who introduced Ryan Hayes and Gyamfi early in the second-half, replacing Cantello and Ethan Rookard.
A Dixon-Smith free-kick was met by central defender Keiron Gauthier on the far post to head across goal and see his defensive partner Frankie Impey head over from close in.
But that near miss was the prelude to a deserved equaliser. Substitute Hayes was having a profound influence and he played a lovely defence-splitting pass inside the full-back for Ralfe to run onto.
The winger struck goalward and the effort seemed to deflect off a Royston defender to beat Krasniqi for 1-1.
Both sides pressed until the end, but WGC came closest to the winner. Another impressive inside run by Moses saw him set up Hayes, whose goalbound effort was also deflected inches wide.
WGC: Sansom, Ntege, Impey, Gauthier, Dixon-Smith, Corbit, Cantello (Hayes 62), Nosike, Moses, Rookard (Gyamfi 64), Ralfe (Mosanya 71). Subs: Mendes, Gordon (not used).
