Report
It may be approaching the end of the season, and it was not a prosperous one for our hosts who are almost certainly relegated; and we may add that it has not been a prosperous one for the visitors who are still not clear of that unwelcome prospect. What made today’s game so intriguing is Berko’s excellent recent record against Hitchin in cup games and a certain recent league game where they came to Top Field and ran out deserving winners.
That game followed an almost unmentionable loss against basement side Long Eaton, and we were soon to become aware that Hitchin’s league form was to persist in being abysmal to the point of being placed just one spot above the relegation zone, with AFC Sudbury being locked in a struggle for safety points with the Canaries.
Then enter the new manager, Brett Donnelly, with a draw against promotion hopefuls Telford and a fairly ‘routine’ loss against league leaders Needham Market, long known as Hitchin’s bogey team. So, at Broadwater a drama could unfold, given the unpredictable nature of this fixture. Its importance to Hitchin could not be underestimated and the fact that it was a Hertfordshire derby meant that the hosts had something of an incentive.
The loss against Needham Market was unfortunate but the gallant effort towards the end was better than a defeat grudgingly accepted with a snarling defiance. The standard of football was elevated in proportion to the situation, and it was a pity that there was no consolation in the form of at least one goal.
Arriving at the ground, I was pleased to talk to former Dunstable Town players Jamie Head and Adam Watkins, and it was clear that Berkhamsted were going to go all out to win this game. Am amusing moment came when
Hitchin central defender Ciaren Jones strolled into the ground and then announced that he had forgotten his boots, but I assumed that they were in his car. It was also pleasant to renew my acquaintance with some home officials I remembered from Dunstable days.
There was a fierce start and the close proximity to the dug outs saw our manager employ expletives that seemed to amuse the home bench. Hitchin attacked, won a corner and there was indeed something of a derby atmosphere. Gleeson over hit the corner. Then Vincent was bundled over and the free kick from Gleeson was beaten away. It was obvious that no quarter would be given and maybe that is how it should be. We had news that in the early kick off that Sudbury had been beaten. But the mathematics could still be operative, so we plugged away and Anker’s cross set up Wilkinson for a shot that was on target and a whisker wide.
The fine attendance of visiting supporters were suddenly in voice and were suddenly quiet when Berkhamsted very nearly scored from close range. There was further pressure from the Comrades with Horlock stretching to save a fine effort. At the other end, Vincent attempted a cross but ran out of pitch.
Anker forced a cross which Bowler held well and there seemed to be no end to our manager’ advice, criticism and full voiced exhortation, punctuated by industrial adjectives. There was one fierce incident which resulted in a booking for a home player. Play was held up as the referee had to write Max Bustamante MacAire, which is certainly a name to conjure with. I had the feeling that this would not be the last caution issued.
Twenty-five minutes had not revealed many real goal attempts, but Wilkinson’s next shot saw Bowler spill the ball for a corner, which was entirely wasted. Toomey forced a corner for Berkeley which saw a tame shot from Oulton. A bruising attack from Hitchin saw stout resistance, and another came from a Tearle throw in and as the ball came back to him, he tried a shot from range, which lacked pace.
The battling Snelus appeared to take a knock, which was hardly surprising given his involvement. The next corner saw Vincent unable to direct his header and there was an impromptu break when Horlock went down injured. Advice and instruction were dispensed, and there were just over ten minutes to half time. Every decision was contested however minor. A home free kick was of harmless significance and the ferocity in midfield was, at times, a little alarming.
There was good work from Snelus, undone at the pivotal moment and Horlock was alert to a spontaneous shot from the hosts. Breathlessly we were almost at the interval and there was an exchange of words, hardly pleasant between the Berko manager and Gleeson.
The interval did provide some relief from the tension. Hitchin made two substitutions after the break with Georgiou replacing Tearle with Galliford coming on for the presumably exhausted Snelus. Hostilities were resumed in this intriguing game of unforced errors. Galliford sent in a free kick that bounced in the area and drifted away as if in indifference.
Comrades made a substitution with Toomey being replaced by Lawal. Kpapke took a knock and Newton had a wild shot that was well off target. This game badly needed a goal, but the level of play did not suggest that one would be forthcoming. Vincent had a shot on the turn that was wide. Then there was a cross from Vincent and it was gleefully converted by Wilkinson who celebrated with the supporters behind the goal. It was a sparkling moment in what had been a grim dullness. We had played for an hour and a headed effort requiring a Horlock save was a reminder that the game could change in aspect. But at least it had all been enlivened by the goal.
Hitchin then half a free kick wide on the right that was cleared but a following attack required Bowler to claim the ball. Cotter had a good shot, courtesy of a neat pass from Georgiou, and the Comrades brought on Bessadi for Williams. Eagerness was still compensating for a lack of subtlety in play, which was in evidence when Vincent was free on goal, having shrugged off a defender, and he chose to shoot rather than slip the ball to Wilkinson who would have had an easy conversion. The shot was wide, and the Canaries ought to have been two up.
There was a good chance for Lawal as the ball flashed dangerously in front of goal, but it came to nothing. Watkins won a corner for the Comrades as teammate Bessadi writhed on the floor from an earlier challenge. There was a huge controversy when Bessadi was, apparently, not given permission to come back to the field of play. There was, eventually a discussion with referee Joanne Woodward, since MacAire had equalised for Berkhamsted. Bessadi had a major involvement in this equaliser. It was revealed, but by the home manager, that Bessadi had been given permission to return and after the heated discussion Brett Donnelly and his assistant received a caution, for their aggression. We can feel a measure of sympathy as Donnelly had not heard the referee beckon Bessadi back to the field of play and had that been the case, the goal would have been overturned. The referee confirmed afterwards that she had permitted Bessadi to return, and as it turned out, he was indeed in the right place at the right time.
So, one all and twelve minutes left to play, a slim slice of time for Hitchin to convert one point to three. This was achieved in a slightly bizarre manner, but at long last there was a smile of fortune for Hitchin. Some may see it as poetic justice, but a home defensive error saw the ball bounce awkwardly but fortuitously for Vincent to slip the ball into the net with his outstretched leg. This goal was timed at eighty-four minutes and received the loudest cheer of the afternoon from the Hitchin supporters.
Some home fans and officials claimed that the Hitchin goal was offside, but I spoke to the assistant referee after the game and his exact words were ‘the Berkhamsted number 14, (Lawal) played everyone on-side’.
One must credit the hosts for doing their best to secure an equaliser and a cross from MacAire saw Newman only able to chest the ball straight at Horlock. Bradley Bell’s shot was kicked off the line by Da Silva and there were just minutes to go, allowing for the add on.
A late free kick saw Bowler send the ball in from the halfway line, but it was cleared. There was not much action, and a resounding cheer went up at the final whistle. The close proximity to the pitch gave me the feeling of being heavily involved and indeed I felt the intensity of this crucial game, which was a real derby with controversy and dramatic incidents galore.
That valuable three points gives us seven more points than Sudbury, but we are not past the post mathematically yet, and we have four tough games to go, two of them away. Some may say that there was nothing noteworthy about beating a team that is now the basement side; but we remember how tidily Berkhamsted beat us at Top Field and how they were fully charged for today’s game.
Hitchin travel to Leiston on Saturday and any points gained there may well be as difficult as today’s memorable Easter Monday clash. When I arrived home, I celebrated our win with a drink known in our house as a Rotterdam- a large port. Cheers everyone.
BERKHAMSTED
Joshua Bowler, Daniel Newton, cautioned, Williams, (Sami Bessadi), Ross Oulton, Sam McLelland, Raul Fernandes Da Silva, Gregory Sandiford, Adam Watkins, (Jordon Frederick), Max Bustamante MacAire, cautioned, Goal, 78 minutes, 1-1, Connor Toomey, captain, (OlumayowaLawal), Thomas Newman. Substitutes not used, Luke Massingham, Callum Ismail.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, captain, Kye Tearle, (Stan Georgiou), Alex Kpapke, Kavan Cotter, cautioned, Lewis Barker, Ciaren Jones, Jack Snelus, (Isaac Galliford), Stephen Gleeson, cautioned, Connor Vincent, Goal, 84 minutes, 2-1, this reporter’s man of the match, (Bradley Bell), Joel Anker, Finley Wilkinson, Goal, 60 minutes, 1-0. Substitutes not used – Torin Ntege, Layne Eadie.
Referee, Ms Joanne Woodward, assisted by Mr Julian Davis and Mr Dylan Ing.
Attendance 281
REPORT BY PIPEMAN