Report
Sudbury features in our recent history and by this I refer to the final day of last season. The situation called for the Suffolk club to lose their game and, if Hitchin won, they would avoid relegation. Well, Sudbury unwittingly did the gentlemanly thing, obligingly losing, whereas Hitchin, despite the valiant effort where a goal was disallowed, could only draw against a dour Stourbridge side and down we went, until the unexpected reprieve.
Sudbury defeated us in the league match here at Kings Marsh last season, and they needed the points as much as we did. So, Hitchin arrived again, with their feet entrenched in the relegation zone, whereas the Suffolk club revealed a fine home record so far this season, with five wins and four draws from their nine games.
Storm Darragh saw off our home match against Redditch, and, incidentally, knocked some of my garden fences down, but the weather today was sunny and relatively mild. Team news saw the return of Rio Deall, which was very welcome, except he did not look fully fit.
It was good to see a sizeable travelling support, who dutifully trooped off to stand behind the goal Hitchin were attacking. Deall received an early foul, but the free kick came to nothing, and neither did the hosts first foray involving Peters and Neale. Better was the second attempt that won a free kick on the edge of the area, but this went for a goal kick.
Deall, receiving an appealing through ball had only the keeper to beat but it was Bradbrook who saved well with his legs. Then in what seemed a replicated situation immediately at the other end, Oliver Peters made no mistake with his shot, and as they say, every bullet finds its billet and the hosts were ahead after just eight minutes of play. The hosts resumed play by stroking the ball around comfortably with, as yet, no aggression from Hitchin. Another free kick from the hosts exposed an error or two and we still waited for a meaningful attempt on goal. Well, there was a corner, held by Bradbrook. The sixteenth minute saw the first attempt that was easily dealt with by the home defence. A Ciaren Jones clearance rebounded awkwardly that Stacey had to save, and clearly Hitchin needed to break from this apparent lethargy.
Keeping possession would have been welcome, and there were some signs of this. A cross from Ekongo to Franklin saw the latter fail to control, and a shot from Titchmarsh was routine for Bradbrook. It was Ekongo again with a cross from the left to Franklin that saw a possibility as there was one for Luke Stokoe, but both fell short. Then Franklin put wide following a corner.
Hitchin were improving, but at the half hour mark it was difficult to predict an equaliser before the interval. Toby Syme was cautioned for holding back an opponent and a home free kick was defended astutely. Bradbrook cut out a cross as the hosts began to build from the left without much conviction, and a wasted shot from Neal proved a spectacular miss, given the position he had.
Deall crossed from the left but again this favoured the keeper. Franklin tried one from the right and then Sambou ballooned his effort. Sudbury then won a corner, having been absent from attacking play for some minutes. The goal they had had come from a decent opportunity, but they had really not done much else. A Hitchin corner landed complacently on the roof of the net, and I must say that is overall quality of play had been below par in this match.
Jones’ long ball to Franklin saw the latter cross well but there was a prompt intervention. With a minute to go to the interval, the hosts had a disputed corner that was beaten away and the referee ignored an appeal for a Hitchin free kick, and he saw fit to hold matters up to issue a needless reprimand. Hitchin were unable to secure the equaliser but at least had improved as the game had gone on. The late corner from them saw some aggressive action and a decent attempt on goal, but the whistle went, and there were, oddly, some angry exchanges among the players as they left the pitch, reasons not being clear.
In assessing the first half, Deall ought to have scored and the one opportunity afforded the hosts flattered their flat style. Deall was indeed substituted at the start of the second half and was replaced by Daniel Stokoe. I hoped the game would improve on quality. Chidyausiku chased a forward ball in vain and he had found the first half an arduous task. Hitchin made a further substitution with Snee coming on for our beleaguered number nine.
Snee was at once involved and his snapshot brought a corner after fifty- five minutes. Sambou kept the attack going, but not for long. Again, Snee showed the right attitude and Hitchin were awarded a free kick in a central area, but a long way out for a shot, which was tried but the goalkeeper claimed easily. The hosts won a corner themselves after a meek attempt, and this was cleared with Hitchin having a counter move spoiled by an obvious foul.
Hitchin were actually dominating play at this time but failing in the final third. There was a free kick, wide on the left from Franklin who sent it in too low and another chance had gone. Then Sudbury were awarded a free kick, again, right on the edge of the area and I think Jones was cautioned for the challenge. Peters fired it in, and Stacey saved.
Another home free kick followed with a Hitchin free kick immediately after and a semblance of an attack and a clutch of what some saw as bizarre refereeing decisions. After seventy minutes there still seemed no prospect of an equaliser. Exciting it was not; slick skills were at a premium. Then Barker was replaced by Brooks, as Syme had been replaced by Tearle.
A corner for Hitchin gave some hope and two misplaced shots. With ten minutes remaining, prospects of saving a point looked bleak and Page has no excuse for not scoring from about a yard for the hosts after a less than comical error. Hitchin were trying as the home team sought to conserve their lead. This was another game where Hitchin were as good as or better than the opponents in actual play but were lacking in the creativity needed to score at least one goal.
Another chance came from a corner, and this brought a goal, and it was Snee who scored. On reflection Hitchin deserved this equaliser since the hosts had stood back and were fortunate not to concede from a late attack inspired by substitute Brooks. Five minutes were added and the start of these saw Hitchin still pushing,
A home free kick in the defensive half was pumped forward somewhat aimlessly and play was held up again. Tearle conceded a corner in spectacular fashion and that set piece was entirely wasted. Franklin was fouled just outside the box on the right and we wondered if this could bring a cheeky winner. But instead, dramatically, the home side were awarded a penalty in the ninety-eighth minute after a wayward free kick enabled them to scamper up field. We were cursing our ill luck as it seemed likely that the hosts would snatch an undeserved maximum points with the last kick of the game.
Neal took the kick and made a pig’s ear of it, launching the ball well over the bar and that was that. A dull draw with measure for measure.
It would have been something not an injustice to lose this game and a point was welcome, and I presume grudgingly bestowed by the hosts who threw away two points with the rush of blood with the late penalty. As well as that Hitchin drop a place to second from bottom and need no reminders of what is needed sooner than later.
SUDBURY
Bradbrook, Lewis, Isaacson, Henshaw, Dickens, Miles, (Pearce), Peters, GOAL 1-0, 8 minutes, Neal, captain, Cowling, Page, Bradley. Unused substitutes- Munson, Terminello, Goode.
HITCHIN
Stacey, Franklin, Ekongo, Syme, cautioned, (Tearle), Barker, (Brooks), Jones, captain, cautioned, Deall, D Stokoe, Sambou, Chidyausiku, (Snee, GOAL, 1-1, 88 minutes), L Stokoe, Titmarsh. Unused substitutes – Bell.
Referee – Mr P Stratton, assisted by Mr A Waine and Mr J Black
Attendance 317
Report by Pipeman.