Report
With Hitchin and Biggleswade Town the only clubs in the Premier Central without a win before today, but our Bedfordshire neighbours did have three creditable draws and thus three more points than us. The early exit from the FA Cup leaves Hitchin without a fixture next Saturday but there is a midweek derby against Bishop’s Stortford. I need hardy add that much was hoped for today, and it had been revealed in the Bulletin that there were one or two new players added to the squad.
Our visitors today were mid table, with seven points on the board with two wins, two losses and a draw. The two new names in the Hitchin squad were Connor Roberts, who started, and Daniel Stokoe, named among the substitutes.
There was a positive beginning from the Canaries, with a shot from Jack Dreyer following a couple of long balls forward. There was some decent persistence as well, with The Church yet to settle. Play was stopped to allow Lewis Barker treatment for an elbow in the face and, for some reason, a change of shorts. He was also allotted the ‘blood shirt’. The referee delayed an inordinate time before allowing him to return, since he had to deal with an incident in the penalty area.
Matters were very tight with no direct chances on goal after a quarter of an hour. Then the Church had a snap attack that brought a corner, defended at the second attempt. Franklin’s cross brought a weak shot from Morrall after nineteen minutes. Again, Franklin tried his luck and the cross was defended.
Connor Roberts began to distinguish himself with precise and confident play and Sears had been notable for his prompt interventions. Another Franklin cross brought a downward, misdirected header but at least the hosts were on the attack. Play from the visitors was curiously ponderous. Their forward moves had so far been inconclusive. Two deliberate tumbles from Alvechurch players in the area failed to impress the referee who explained his decision to a cluster of players whilst a colleague was treated for a knock. There was a considerable delay. Curiously, the incident was in the same place as in the Berkhamsted game, where the penalty was awarded.
The half had about ten minutes remaining, and Sweeney put an effort over the bar when he had time to be more accurate. To be honest, it had been quite dull so far with play yet to rise above the mediocre. Hitchin won a free kick that was in a good spot for a ball into the box, but an offside decision put paid to any hopes. Then Forster made a magnificent save following a deadly looking strike from Sweeney. At the other end Franklin panicked and placed his effort well over the bar.
That Forster save and indeed the shot, had been the highlight so far, but the Church then had a free kick on the left, taken by Sterling- James and Forster was forced to concede the corner. Crowther met the cross ineffectively. We were well into the seven minutes added on for stoppages and marked by some necessary defending for Hitchin.
The consensus at half time among those I spoke to was that, in euphemistic terms the game had not aspired to being a classic so far. Alvechurch officials felt that their team had been denied a penalty, but as one of them said, swings and roundabouts. We resumed with Hitchin on the attack and Ciaren Jones tried one from range, wayward, but worth the effort. A free kick on the right for the visitors ended in an offside. Wilson challenged the goalkeeper Hollingshead unfairly and conceded a free kick from the hopeful up and under.
A good breakaway on the right, vigorous in pace saw a smart cross from Allen- Hadley and a neat conversion by Dan Sweeney to give the Church a fifty-ninth minute lead. It was the first time we had seen such pace and now we saw its devastating effect.
It was up to Hitchin to match that telling few seconds, but nothing so far had suggested it. A free kick from the right saw Jones get sudden possession in a shooting position. He had more time than he thought but he still blasted well wide. These moments of real opportunity would not be too plentiful. Long balls forward still did not find their target man.
Forster had to punch away an in-swinging corner and another Hitchin counter move saw a long ball only find an Alvechurch defender. Dreyer was brought down and the centrally positioned free kick ended up in an offside decision. Predictably Gleeson was replaced by new man Stoke and Sterling- James was cautioned for time-wasting.
Sweeney chased a lost cause in front of goal and again Jones launched a long ball that was easily anticipated. Franklin tried a shot in the run but it all but trickled towards Hollingshead. Forster himself launched a free kick but nothing came of it but a throw- in and then yet another offside.
Wilson was at times a forlorn lone figure chasing impossible passes. We needed more players involved in a concerted attack. Deall replaced Syme as the game seemed to be drifting to an inevitable conclusion. Stokoe won a free kick on the right, so here was another set piece chance and the ball was predictably booted well clear of any danger.
Wilson set up Morrall for a chance, but it brought no success. Deall forced a corner, and at least the Canaries were attacking. Hollingshead needed to tip the ball to relative safety. Morrell’s creative move was stymied and a cross from Roberts was aimed at two colleagues, neither of whom connected with the needful header. Pearce was the second player cautioned for time-wasting and a free kick from his counterpart saw Jones’ effort go wide. Following this, Willis received a caution.
Late substitutions were made, and Sears became the latest player to have his name taken. Some challenges were receiving criticism and once again Jones’ final pass was too heavy. It is tempting to say that this was indeed an improved performance by Hitchin, but against this is the view that this Alvechurch team is the poorest I have seen so far this season. But having said that, once they took that impressive opening goal, they did not look like conceding, and they are getting points on the board.
I just wish it had been a better match with more positive moments of creative attacking play. Both teams had made four substitutions, but it failed to inspire better moments or a memorable bit of action. We stuttered towards the end in the painful knowledge that it was another defeat and a seventh successive one in both league and FA Cup.
The irony is that the performance today was probably Hitchin’s best so far and they did not deserve to lose; but then again, we did not deserve to win either. There is nothing to do but to go again and it is quite soon when we welcome our Hertfordshire neighbours Bishop’s Stortford.
HITCHIN TOWN
Kyle Forster, Toby Syme, (Rio Deall), Ciaren Jones, captain, Stephen Gleeson, (Daniel Stokoe), Daniel Sears, cautioned, Connor Roberts, this reporter’s Hitchin star man, George Morrall, Lewis Barker, Sponsors’ star home man, Coree Wilson, (Joshua Keane), Jack Dreyer, (Jay Rolfe), Lewis Franklin. Substitute not used – Sam Caiger.
ALVECHURCH
Ronnie Hollingshead, Krystian Pearce, cautioned, David Solademi, Joseph Willis, cautioned, Daniel Sweeney, this reporter’s Man of the Match, (Tyrone Barnett), Dylan Allen- Hadley, (Daniel Revka), Ammar Dyer, Callum Sullivan, (Connor Stanley), Kieran Wakefield, (Samuel Perry), Archie Crowther, Omari Sterling- James, cautioned. Substitutes not used – Kamil Dudek, GK.
Referee – Mr P Stratton, assisted by Mr D Carney and Mr B Jerrams.
Attendance 509
REPORT BY PIPEMAN