Report
Looking at our statistics page on the website I had to go back to 1967 to see if there was a League match in the midst of all those cup meetings. What I found was a fairly minor league, the Hertfordshire Floodlit League. If you go back to the mists of time you may find meetings in the Spartan League from 1929- 1931. Most meetings have been in various domestic cup competitions.
This was the first meeting in the Southern League and quite eagerly anticipated. The difficult meeting with AFC Dunstable on Saturday showed just how focused the team needs to be throughout the season.
Hertford in all blue, included their player/manager Ben Herd, whom I knew at Dunstable, as a player and a manager of the academy.
A good first move saw a reasonable effort from Hitchin, followed quickly by another. Kane was sprightly on the left flank and his hopeful lob led to a thwarted chance, but they were denying possession. Hertford had a snap attack that almost brought an opening goal, but it was off target and offside. It did serve as a warning in any case.
The dangerous McGregor put in a beauty of a cross which was nonchalantly flicked in and begged for a connection. Franklin set up a wayward shot at the other end. There was some good one touch stuff and in an immediate counterattack with Burden unburdening himself with a notable run and this went largely unchecked and Mosanya fired home to complete the move. It was a well-taken goal in every respect and asked a question or two about defence and intervention. A minute later, Mendoza sent in a teasing cross and Painter volleyed into the trees. Kane controlled well in the next move but just could not get his shot away. It seemed to me that Hitchin were electing to go for possession over prominence and we needed a direct shot on goal to test Callan. Morrall might have done this had he been able to control a received pass.
A low corner saw a blocked shot for Jones and an awkward clearance from Hertford. Joy, unconfined, tried to get things going with a majestic diagonal pass to the right and another move on this flank saw Tearle tussling but a cross did go in, but that attack ended with a free kick to Hertford. Tearle’s accurate pass was collected, but so was the offside flag.
Tearle again started a move that found the players back pedalling, playing passes back and across, and then they lost possession. Tearle then had a shot and Nicolson almost managed one as well. This was the result of Hertford losing possession in an unfortunate manner. Tearle had the chance of a shot, but he flicked the ball to the advancing Rhiney who found the pace of the ball outwitted him.
With a quarter of an hour to go to the interval, things were not too good for Hitchin. They had permitted Hertford to scythe their way through the middle and were yet to test the keeper. A long ball to Rhiney was not the best of ideas. In a spell of passing with a view to attack, Jones finished the move with a shot from range, easily held at the foot of the post by Callan.
Hertford substitute Bakkali (for Ajong) had a bold try in possession but his intended short cross Mendoza and McGregor made a nuisance of themselves in another bold attack, and I have to say that Hertford were worth their lead.
Kane’s cross was easily dealt with and there was no one near me dissipating the gloom with cheerful remarks. So far this was a sharp reminder of the sheer difficulty of Hitchin to match what many expect of them. Jackman’s cross was of good quality, but the reception did not match that quality.
With one additional minute it was unlikely that an equaliser would come and, with Rhiney advancing, Callan came from his line to launch the ball away from danger. It had been a decent half with some fine football played by both teams.
On resumption there was evidence of Hitchin fortifying their intention and they needed to. Painter latched on to a loose ball and charged forward with a menacing air and his lob was just over the bar. Hitchin tried spreading play but were still having difficulty in penetrating and Jackman’s shot was embarrassingly wide. The next attack looked promising but was deconstructed with ease by Hertford.
Rhiney lost possession unnecessarily in the next foray and Franklin almost made matters even with his low cross that brought a corner. Coldicott- Stevens hit it in a way that suggested anything could happen and Morrall’s last act was a ballooned shot before he was replaced by Butler, who was soon involved.
Tearle slipped a fifty-fifty ball through to a Rhiney, but the keeper intervened. Rhiney then received a fine pass from Nicolson and the shot from the former was relatively good, but off target. Then Tearle was replaced by Alemanji. A free kick for the hosts reached Franklin but he was soon outnumbered. Butler found himself blocked from progress but there was another corner. This was beaten away for a counter-attack that brought a corner for the hosts. This was bundled away and a counter for Hitchin brought a free kick for Hitchin following a handball. There was the usual deliberation and delay, before Rhiney’s appalling effort.
Then, a Hertford attack, swift and sure, brought a corner and a clearance that sent the ball out of the stadium. Rhiney was then replaced by Brooks. A multi passing preparatory move from Hitchin saw Brooks take a tumble in the penalty area and the move finished with a free kick for the visitors. Hertford played patiently in defending their lead, Brooks’ intended shot ricocheted off a defender and then Hitchin forced a corner with some aggressive play. This was delicately defended for a goal kick.
Hitchin maintained the longer period of possession with the next threat resulting in success and Brooks made the scores level with a low strike at the near post. We had reached seventy-seven minutes and now the hosts had seized an important initiative.
If pressure could be maintained and breakaways defended, there could be a winner here was a general thought. Callan needed to come off his line to palm away the next foray. There was a free kick from the veteran Herd and Callan made a vital save when it looked as if Hitchin would take the lead. Franklin’s delicate chip was lustily booted away, and the next Hitchin attack looked the business until a comedy of errors put paid to thoughts of glory.
A fine move from Hertford culminated in Painter missing the mark by a couple of yards. Few minutes remained and both teams went at it, wanting a win. Evans cross was good but the second goal for Hertford fell to an unmarked Mosanya and it was in the eighty- ninth minute. It seemed like a partial reprieve that the referee added on eight minutes, but Hitchin’s play was a bit patchy. Free kicks were conceded; headers went into touch.
Forward moves were stifled, but there was a corner, delayed by the usual jostling and Callan reached out to grasp. Then with the heroic Mosanya fouled a penalty kick was conceded, taken expertly by Herd, who was quick to celebrate with the visiting supporters. With Hitchin now 3-1 down, it served as a stiff reminder to the club as to just how difficult this division will be. Play was delayed as Franklin had his brow mopped but it was all up for the Canaries who had been outfoxed by a determined team from the county town.
They had played with verve and determination- but so had Hitchin but they had not made the most of what opportunities had come their way. Right at the end Mosanya almost got a fourth, but Bonfield prevented further embarrassment. That would have been a cruel result suggesting pre-eminence, whereas the two teams were evenly matched. Hertford’s second goal was against the run of play, and the penalty was the result of Mosanya’s enviable athleticism.
We travel to Marlow on Saturday, somewhat chastened and, I hope with greater determination to return to winning form.
Hitchin Town
Bonfield
Franklin
Kane
Joy
Jackman
Jones (C)
Morrall
Coldicott-Stevens
Rhiney
Tearle
Nicolson
Substitutes:
Briggs (for Jackman)
Butler (for Morrall)
Brooks (for Rhiney) – Goal, 77 mins
Alemanji (for Tearle)
McDonald (for Nicolson)
Hertford Town
Callan
McGregor
Evans
Burden
Nardelli
Herd – Goal 90+6 mins (pen)
Mendoza
Mardel-Smith (C)
Ajong
Mosanya – Goals 11, 89 mins & Reporters MOTM
Painter
Substitutes:
Tyrell-Johnson (for Nardelli)
Bakkali (for Ajong)
Barros and Zeddini were unused
Referee: Mr J Lam assisted by Mr R allow and Mr G Hargrove.
Attendance: 430
Report by Pipeman.
Photos by Peter Else