Report
First of all, let me say that, despite the score-line tonight this was an improved Hitchin performance after the lamentable loss against Redditch United in the FA Trophy, but the score, yes, THAT score of 0-3 has become distressingly familiar in recent games. It was the old story of the winning team taking its chances, and well, with a first-class opening goal, and two more coming in goal mouth scrimmages.
Until the first goal went in, it had been an open, even, often exhilarating game of attacking football, with good defending but essentially even. We were, therefore, reasonably optimistic that we could merit at least a point.
Team changes saw the return of Ashley Hay and a start for Diego Freitas- Gouveia. Lewis Barker reverted to a midfield role, which seemed to suit him better.
Hitchin, well aware that the dearth of goals was a major concern, began positively, but had to defend an early effort from the visitors who won an early corner. Freitas-Gouveia had an early Half-chance and Malaki Black’s searching cross was too heavy. Stan Georgiou tried a cheeky shot from range and Finley Wilkinson forced a corner, taken by Steve Gleeson that was held by Samuel Donkin, who was rarely troubled in the game.
Freitas-Gouveia dragged his next effort wide, and the already busy Josh Coldicott-Stevens tried one from range that brought a corner. Yes, positive stuff – but a goal to the good was still frustratingly elusive. Freitas-Gouveia made a bold incursion into the penalty area but was dispossessed. Back came Leiston with a cover that needed Gleeson to clear close to the goal-line and our Diogo again shot wide.
Leiston’s elaborate approach play produced fair chances, and they had a free kick that needed careful monitoring by Charlie Horlock. There was little to choose between the teams as both tried to counter at every opportunity and the pattern of play was suggesting that the game would end with a solitary goal. Although there was no score at the interval, the consensus was that Hitchin had played reasonably well with some enterprise, but most efforts had been from range and chances from set pieces had been negligible.
Leiston, in going forward had often looked dangerous, had been on target, but the Canaries’ defence had not as yet yielded to an unforced error. Upon resumption, the same style of play was in evidence, but already Leiston were looking just a little sharper. After an ineffective Hitchin free kick, a fair move involving Diogo and Barker won a corner, which was beaten away and Wilkinson’s intended cross was blocked.
Leiston responded with a fine shot from Ben Fowkes and Quantrill’s corner saw a raid on goal with Finlay Barnes’ header seeing Horlock gratefully gather the ball right on his goal-line. This was the beginning of a sustained attacking spell for the visitors and cracks began to appear in the Hitchin defence. Following a corner, Leiston kept possession and the opening goal was scored – and it brought spontaneous applause since it was a real peach, a diagonal shot from Finlay Barnes after fifty-seven minutes.
Leiston players celebrated fittingly whilst Hitchin supporters felt a curious sense of disappointment that was linked to the hitherto positive play that had yielded no more than possibilities and wondering why our team could not score a goal of such merit in this game where equality had been wrenched away. It seemed to affect the team’s confidence and with the initiative with the visitors, it was doubly difficult. Yet there was hope and Wilkinson’s shot that appeared to graze the far post represented our best effort but lacking a little bit of fortune that we desperately need. It did show that there was some fight in the team, but Leiston seemed to go up a gear from this point.
When they won a corner, there was a degree of nervousness. Gleeson’s free kick invited a glorious header, but no-one was within reach, and Seb Dunbar, a no-nonsense skipper sent in a cross that won another corner for his side, which Horlock held, but within seconds, or so it seemed, Leiston were challenging for possession just inside the box and won it through a defensive mix up where Barker needed to get the ball clear. He did not and Fowkes snaffled up the chance and finished with alacrity, doubling his team’s advantage and trebling the difficulty for Hitchin, since it was extremely unlikely that, with seventy-four minutes played, they could snatch a draw from the familiar jaws of defeat.
It was an expensive error and, given that repetitive score line, I did hear one or two say, well, just one more goal to go, then. They were right but did not want to be. Six minutes later, JCS was penalised for a rough tackle on the edge of the area, and the set-piece woe reared its head again. Horlock bravely saved the initial shot, right on the line, players crowded for the ball, but it was William Davies who finished the move and the visitors were in an unassailable lead. It seemed cruel, but it is a fine example of making the most of each chance. Hitchin had no such scrambles, being unable to force play into the area.
To make matters worse, Kye Tearle was injured in a typically robust tackle on Dunbar, who was impenitent since he claimed that Tearle had brought it on himself. Tearle was immediately substituted by Delsin Ackom, whose ten minutes on the pitch saw him immediately involved with a never say die attitude. Tearle needed crutches and it seems like he will be out of action for a while. It never rains eh?
With Quantrell sending a late shot over the bar, there was little else, and Hitchin faced a debriefing on the pitch as Leiston applauded the knot of travelling supporters. Indeed, we wonder where the next Hitchin goal is coming from, with just Wilkinson’s excellent effort to look back on.
What had started reasonably well had ended in a calamitous fashion. It is just as well that the team had an unexpectedly bright start to the campaign and the league position is not quite perilous as yet.
Saturday sees the visit of the rejuvenated Hednesford and then there is the small matter of an away trip to table-toppers Tamworth. It is a challenge to keep the faith, but we must. In the meantime we have, on Thursday evening, the FA Youth cup game at Top Field against Chesterfield.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, captain, Kye Tearle,(Delsin Ackom), Malaki Black, Toby Syme, Stanley Georgiou, Lewis Barker, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Stephen Gleeson, Ashley Hay, Diogo Freitas- Gouveia, Sponsors’ star man, (Steve Cawley), Finley Wilkinson, cautioned. Substitutes not used- Rio Dasilva, Leon Chambers- Parillon, Jack Snelus.
LEISTON
Samuel Donkin, Wyatt Hill, (Iuri Mendes-Fernandes), Sebastian Dunbar, Adam Bailey-Dennis, Jake Hutchings, Ryan Jarvis, Oliver Saunders, George Quantrell, Ben Fowkes, GOAL, 74 MINUTES,(Kai Fletcher), Finlay Barnes,GOAL, 57 MINUTES, William Davies, GOAL, 80 MINUTES,(Jamie Eaton-Collins. Substitutes not used- Joseph Marsden, Rossi Jarvis.
Referee- Mr S Parry assisted by Mr W Trusler and Mr R Fullicks
Attendance 326
REPORT BY PIPEMAN