Report
It has been some time since I visited Holloways Park and that was to see a win for Dunstable Town over Slough, the latter were, at that time, sharing facilities. And this is the first time I have seen their relatively new artificial pitch.
Team news for Hitchin sees a new signing rejoicing in the name of Sam O’nions, and I do not know if the apostrophe affects pronunciation. He was on the bench whilst Taylor Rhiney made a start. Armistice Day was commemorated before the kick off and was politely observed.
The Rams were in all red and Hitchin were once again in purple. The sun beamed directly at us in the sparsely filled stand, and we were off with a confident home attack. Fraser – Grante came reasonably close, but the visitors countered with a shot from Jackman that struck Welland on the legs.
Marcon took a free kick that curled into the arms of Bonfield and then Jackman had another go that was deflected. He was heavily involved in these early stages. Nicolson tried to place one for Rhiney, but it was too heavy. Already it was end to end stuff, of variable accuracy.
Hitchin reverted to that possession game with one move almost freeing Rhiney for a close-range shot. Nicolson was also attempting to weave through the well organised Rams’ defence. The hosts then had a free kick right on the edge of the D, following a poor short pass in the Hitchin defence, and Marcon sent the ball way over the bar. Again, Hitchin tried it through the middle and the hosts replied with a deflected shot for a corner. This caused some hectic activity in the goalmouth and from an effort that rebounded off the bar, the the Rams opened the scoring. We had played nineteen minutes, and it will be remembered that the goal came from a sloppy defensive pass.
Hitchin tried again to make incursions through the middle, better were the flank movements, when they could be instigated. Ironically, Hitchin had played the better football hitherto and were now under a bit of pressure. They conceded a corner, which was quickly followed by another, which was cleared. Rhiney won a free kick and once more Hitchin insisted on elaborate play that lacked a telling pass.
If we were a goal up, it might be enjoyable, and getting a goal back was an urgent priority. Jackman was lurking with intent on the right as Kane was on the left, but crosses needed to be precise if they were to have some bearing on the game, and Franklin’s daring run ended in a stumble of dispossession.
Nicolson’s shot drew a good save from Welland and Gleeson sent in a hopeful corner that saw a reasonable header from Blue Joy that was inches too high. Jackman started another move that was painfully elaborate but without recompense.
Half time loomed unapologetically, and the Rams saw their latest effort foiled by Bonfield. Kane did his best to utilise his pace and Franklin shot on the turn to earn a corner. The impetus of this move was interrupted by treatment for Luke Neville. The corner was disappointingly short, but Hitchin tried again with shot from skipper Ciaren Jones that went wide.
Bonfield left his line to make a clearance and made a bit of a hash if it and from the resulting corner a second goal was headed home with some degree of emphasis. It is no good saying that the team did not deserve to be two down as the hosts had merely maximised opportunities. Rhiney’s poor header high over the bar brought the need for greater significance in what attacks could be mustered.
The hosts had a late free kick that led to a free header and the whistle for the interval, and I was able to discover the scorers. The first goal came from Fraser- Grante, nineteen minutes and the second came from Oke-William after forty- five minutes.
This game, we knew would take some saving, given the lack of penetration from Hitchin so far. They did resume with some healthy intent, but Jones sent in a cross too close to Welland. Kane’s shot was on target but too mild. At least they were giving it a proper go, and I do recall the team coming back from a two-goal deficit against Potters Bar in the FA Cup. Then Franklin saw Welland parry an effort before Rhiney followed up and now it was 2-1. A high cross had possibilities next, but the keeper scrambled to save just in time. It was important to keep the momentum. JCS had been replaced by Gbolahan and then Kane’s snapshot was not that far wide. There was belief in Hitchin’s play, the initiative held up by a home free kick.
Kane and Franklin combined, and the latter’s shot again was marginally off target. I wondered how significant it would be that Kane had seemingly been released of being closely marked. Marcon’s corner was a good one, but Bonfield held well. Kane’s next cross was intercepted, and free kicks were conceded from frustration, as were corners. One if these yielded another free header that might have been expensive, so to speak.
Brown- Johnson went down injured and the treatment was quite lengthy. Back came Hitchin with an ineffective attack but, they retained possession for another go and it was a super goal from Jackman, who had been the hero last week with his last gasp strike against Leverstock Green. This was entirely deserved, and it was indeed possible that Hitchin could go on to win this match. The visiting supporters behind the goal were optimistic, but it was also possible that the hosts would wake up to this half and play like they did in the first, where they capitalised on set pieces.
Franklin had another go and the miss was greater than the gasps suggested, but this was the right stuff – attack and indeed the next effort ricocheted off the crossbar and there followed a corner, with a header off target.
Hitchin were clearly the better team now, but this superiority needed to be pushed home without undue risk. Nicolson’s attempt was good and there was an optimistic penalty appeal, with the referee indicating that the ball had struck an inoffensive part of the body.
Rhiney’s indecision ended the next foray, and the Rams had a corner that brought another with a good cross and a bad miss from Kpohomouth. Kane’s cross produced an entirely reasonable penalty appeal that was dismissed and the next effort had us wondering how it did not bulge the net. Tearle replaced the energetic Nicolson, and the hosts had a free kick that resulted in a goal kick for Hitchin.
Excellent defending from the Rams was keeping the intensity of Hitchin at bay. They had a free kick that needed monitoring and Rhiney was replaced by Brooks as Syme was cautioned for a cynical challenge. Another slow build up saw an easy interception and then Kane tried to make something of a half chance, and it did win a corner. Gleeson’s cross was held by Welland at the second attempt.
The whistle went and the consensus among visiting supporters was that the hosts were lucky to hold off for a point, having secured a two-goal lead in the first half. But, in reality, the Rams too could have won it as they had their chances even if they were fewer than in the first period.
Praise goes to Hitchin for their second half recovery, but they must live with some criticism for their somewhat limp first half performance that impressed, generally, not a jot. But a point is indeed a point but results elsewhere showed our rivals garnering the maximum.
Of interest was today’s attendance which was 115, with visiting supporters being of the greater number. Figures in our present division are notably low, with a couple of exceptions. Of personal interest to me was the news that my vegetarian meal in the boardroom ‘had been condemned,’ but I did not wait around for the execution.
Hitchin take a break from League action on Tuesday evening when once again we entertain Leverstock Green in the Hertfordshire Senior Cup.
Beaconsfield
Joshua Welland
Charlie Smith
Jacques Kpohomouh
Luke Neville (C)
Zidan Akers
Zak Fraser-Grante
Manuchim Oke-William
Jamie Davies
Ollie Turner
Joshua Stranks
Jedidiah Brown-Johnson
Substitutes:
James Dobson (for Davies)
Louis Udeh, Joshua Marcon, Samuel Wraith and Troy Silvera were unused.
Hitchin Town
Alfie Bonfield
Josh Jackman – GOAL 67 mins, Reporter’s MOTM
Callum Kane
Toby Syme
Blue Joy
Ciaren Jones (C)
Josh Coldicott-Stevens
Stephen Gleeson
Taylor Rhiney – GOAL 50 mins
Lewis Franklin
Callum Nicolson
Substitutes:
Liam Brooks (for Rhiney)
Kye Tearle (for Nicolson)
Diogo Freitas-Gouveia (for Franklin)
Ade Gbolahan (for Coldicott-Stevens)
Sam O’nions was unused
Referee: Mr O Kaya, assisted by Mr A Jeffrey and Mr R Reynolds.
Attendance: 115.
Report by Pipeman.