Report
League leaders Needham Market came from Suffolk to consolidate their position at the top of the table. Perhaps it is premature to call them champions elect, despite their impressive accumulation of points, that they garnered whilst Hitchin lost them in a prodigal manner. They suffered a rare loss in their last game and sought a return to form against a team trying to stave off relegation.
As well as that they are what is known as our ‘bogey’ team. This is a quaint expression that partially explains the good hidings they have dealt us at Bloomfields, where we have yet to register a win, despite several attempts. In our playing record against them we have one home league win, and we once eliminated them from the FA Cup.
New manager Brett Donnelly brought in defender Shane Bush and Lewis Barker made a start. When play began, there was a spirited move from Joel Anker and Connor Vincent that saw a lob over the bar from, I think, Lewis Barker. This was positive as was the Fishponds Road end bursting into song. An initial forward move from Market was opposed with legitimate aggression, and it seemed the Canaries meat business.
The next Hitchin attack saw a defender forced to concede a corner, with Barker heading towards goal and the final shot was wide. This was encouraging and these first ten minutes provided more entertainment than the whole of that dull match against Telford.
Toby Syme’s header from a cross was on target but easy for Marcus Garnham. I was surprised at the Marketmen’s poor distribution and so far, they had failed to resemble the stylish team that had inflicted defeat on Hitchin earlier in the season. One of their supporters near me was exhorting his team to ‘play it along the floor’, but his advice went unheeded. Despite this I felt that they were being patient and seeking to take the sting out of Hitchin’s urgency.
Jacob Lay finished a promising move with a poor shot, Needham’s first attempt on goal, which served to remind me that it had been a fair time since Hitchin had constructed a realistic goal attempt. Needham were winning free kicks and the latest one, wide on the left from Kyle Hammond was entirely wasted.
It was good to see Hitchin defender’s winning challenges in the air, with Toby Syme being inspirational. Needham’s unfamiliar choice of long balls was not proving to be productive and Luke Ingram, trying to connect was well off target. A laborious move from the visitors saw a number of passes and then a long ball forward that went out of play.
A rare Hitchin free kick saw Gleeson pump the ball forward, but nothing came of the move but a goal kick. Lay had a shot following a defensive slip and Horlock held- but it was clear that the visitors, although far from their best, were encroaching and it needed Hitchin to have a period of play in the opposition half.
A Hitchin free kick, wide on the left saw Garnham make a reaction save and that represented Hitchin’s best chance so far. Meanwhile there was a Market free kick that culminated in a foul on Lewis Barker. Horlock yelled ‘keeper’ when he came out of his goal to clear a danger, and he might yell out ‘sweeper’ as many a keeper seems active in this role for a few moments in each game.
A Needham free kick from the right saw Adam Mills, with his bandaged head, put one just over the bar. As we approached half time Needham became more recognisable and they put some pressure on the Hitchin defence, which had been remarkably steady. Syme was outstanding in his precise defending, but I think that the hosts were needing the whistle to go for the interval where some analysis was needed.
Tussles occurred, free kicks were awarded, and Hitchin held out. There were interesting points made in the board room. The consensus seemed to be that the hosts were spirited if off target, and the visitors had only come to life in the last few minutes, where they seemed a different team to those that had patiently plodded for almost forty minutes.
The first bit of meaningful action upon resumption was a Dylan Williams free kick, which was of negligible quality. The visitors, who had found their rhythm were now pressing hard and playing more ‘along the floor’, They struck, finally, with a low shot following a poor clearance. Adam Mills was the marksman and the goal times at forty-nine minutes.
This left Hitchin with an arduous task, one they are used to, but there was a semblance of an attack with two blocked shots, yet coordination seemed lacking in midfield, where too many small battles were lost. A Needham corner saw the ball headed behind for another corner and then offside.
Joel Anker took on the world and his dog in trying to carve a way through the Needham defence and the ball was shepherded out of play by a defender. It needed more from Hitchin in that spirit. Ingram fell over whilst attempting a shot but there was a corner from the Marketmen, defended well, but again the visitors were winning the midfield tangles.
Kpapke had one of his inspirational runs and I am sure he did not mean to fall over and lose possession. Anker had a similar run, and three opposing players inevitably got the better of him. It was encouraging, to a degree. Anker, after a bit of welcome wizardry, sent in a cross that Wilkinson headed wide, but it was applauded as that was the right spirit.
There was a major incident, following a substitution as Needham were awarded a penalty and the referee was besieged, but not by a world-weary looking Ingram holding the ball awaiting the kick. There was some confusion over the linesman’s action. The referee told me that his assistant had signalled a handball, but advantage was played, and a challenge from Shane Bush was the cause of the penalty.
Ingram converted with consummate ease and the celebrations were plentiful as this almost certainly put the game beyond Hitchin. There had been no free kicks in inviting areas and indeed no set piece affording a clear opportunity.
Anker showed another bit of magic and was somewhat perturbed that a return pass went right out of play. The visitors made three substitutions with a suggestion that the job was done, so give those lads a run out. One of them, Byron Lawrence, must come from a literary family since he was named after two authors. In the next Hitchin move, Snelus hit one wide after some characteristic bustling play.
Connor Vincent, who had struggled in this game was replaced by Galliford, a player who can occasionally stun with a notable strike. Tearle had replaced Syme, the latter being my choice for man of the match.
The visitors employed what is known as game management, spoiling moves, keeping possession and bagging the odd corner. A third goal was seemingly scored from a low shot, but this was ruled offside and there was a collective shrug of Marketmen shoulders. They were comfortable with their lead and time was ticking. A Hitchin free kick saw one or two players fall over in sneak a penalty mode which of course was ignored. Then there was a corner for Hitchin, and Thomas Smith sent the ball into orbit.
Back came Hitchin with a too heavy cross, but Kpapke’s effort was better, and, unfortunately, so was the defending. But the hosts were giving it a go, with the crowd behind the goal demanding a penalty that was not. Two corners saw real chances and in-swinger saw Ciaren Jones narrowly miss getting a goal back. The sheer bravado from Hitchin made me feel proud of the effort, and it may be said that fortune smiled a little on the visiting defence.
It was no disgrace to lose to the champions elect, who may be called that having now built up an eleven -point lead with just a few games to go. We wish them well, and I for one will miss them, as the games were always good and the hospitality at Bloomfields was always top notch.
But mention must be made of Hitchin’s perilous situation, and we will be looking anxiously at the St Ives versus Sudbury match tomorrow. We travel to Berkhamsted on Easter Monday, and we need no reminding that relegated Berkhamsted came to Top Field and had a deserved win.
It would be something of a relief to avenge that loss, and manager Brett Donnelly has to juggle to find the best team to field. It will not be an easy game, but it is one of the most crucial of our contrasting season.
So, our Good Friday match today was good for the visitors and not for us, but we may be proud that the team did rally at the end even though consolation was denied to them and the majority of the bumper attendance of 792.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, captain, Toby Syme, this reporter’s man of the match, (Kye Tearle), Alex Kpapke, Lewis Barker, Shane Bush, Ciaren Jones, Jack Snelus, Stephen Gleeson, (Kavan Cotter), Connor Vincent, (Isaac Galliford), Joel Anker, cautioned, Finley Wilkinson.
Substitutes not used- Dan Emovon, Stan Gergiou.
NEEDHAM MARKET
Marcus Garnham, cautioned, Thomas Smith, Kyle Hammond, Kieran Morphew, Daniel Morphew, Luke Ingram, penalty goal, 68 minutes, (2-0) Dylan Williams, (Byron Lawrence), Adam Mills, GOAL, 49 minutes, (1-0), cautioned, (Oliver Fraser), Jacob Lay, cautioned (Seth Carroll- Chambers), Tevan Allen, Jamie McGrath. Substitute not used- Hugh Cullum.
Referee- Mr L Scott, assisted by Me R Woodford and Mr E Unuafe
Attendance 792
REPORT BY PIPEMAN