POWERHOUSE striker Craig Hammond has left Mildenhall Town to become Royston s record signing. The 20-year-old, who scored 15 goals last season, joined The Molten Spartan South Midlands Division One side for an undisclosed four-figure fee – the first in th

POWERHOUSE striker Craig Hammond has left Mildenhall Town to become Royston's record signing.

The 20-year-old, who scored 15 goals last season, joined The Molten Spartan South Midlands Division One side for an undisclosed four-figure fee - the first in the club's history - after a season-and-a-half at Mildenhall.

And he got off to a flying start, netting a hat-trick on his Royston debut, as the Crows beat South Midlands Division One rivals Ampthill Town 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Hammond said: "I had a good time at Mildenhall and I really enjoyed my time there.

"Trevor Munns brought me to the club and after he went I just felt it was the right time for me to leave.

"I wish Mildenhall al the best.

"Now I'm just looking forward to playing for Royston and, hopefully, I can repay the club's faith and score them the goals that moves them up the table."

Joint Mildenhall manager Tony Lyes said: "Craig lives out that way and it's like his home-town club.

"He's a good striker and will be missed but we're looking at two or three players and hope to find a replacement soon."

The Mildenhall squad was boosted by three new signings on Saturday.

Defenders Darren Coe and Carl Murkin, who joined from Ryman League side Bury Town, and midfielder Matthew Bellingham, who signed from Kershaw League side Lakenheath, all started on the bench as Mildenhall slipped to a humbling 5-0 FA Vase defeat at home to fellow Ridgeons Premier Division side Stanway Rovers.

Town found themselves 2-0 down at the interval.

The first goal came when the hosts left themselves exposed at the back with four attackers on two defenders, and Stanway doubled their lead with a scrambled goal just before half-time.

Bellingham and Coe were brought on in the second half but were unable to make an impact.

Just as Mildenhall started to apply pressure a break-away goal put Stanway 3-0 up and two more quickly followed.

Mildenhall's new management team of Dave Pinkowski and Lyes had won their first game in charge 7-0 at home in the league against Lowestoft the previous weekend.

Lyles said: "We decided to stick with the team from the Lowestoft game but it clearly didn't work.

"Because of the heavy rain, conditions were awful and Stanway coped much better than we did. To their credit, they played some pretty decent football.