Report
Who would have thought that today’s late season game would be so vital and the points so precious? We all remember the handsome win at Halesowen when goalkeeper Charlie Horlock scored that fluke goal but would not celebrate. He actually felt sympathy for his colleague. Given the result today you will of course realise that the team played a lot better than they did today. I was mystified why star defender Toby Syme and the energetic and committed Jack Snelus were not even in the squad.
The visitors began well and neatly foiled an early Hitchin forward move. It was a little inauspicious when Lewis Barker was deservedly booked for an over-the-top challenge. The Yeltz supporters, easily the most vocal in the league, soon settled into their chants, but they were a little halfhearted.
A Yeltz counter move brought them a free kick which Hitchin defended well enough, but there was some danger that signalled care was needed. A half chance for Finley Wilkinson saw a counter move cancelled out smartly by Shane Bush. A Hitchin corner saw Ciaren Jones lob well over the bar and visiting supporters were suggesting that we were a poor version of Norwich City.
The midfield was fiercely combative, and we were yet to see a shot on target from either side with sixteen exploratory minutes consumed. Kpapke’s fine run along the left was spoilt by his ballooning the final pass. As usual, an injury to a player called for a drinks break and some tactical advice from urgent managers. The game needed shape and intention. Both teams were not shy of playing long balls that begged for connection.
Manning cut out a good ball from Bush aiming for Bell, and the counter move was nullified. Kpapke again broke on the left, but goalkeeper Platt was off his line to clear. A long ball to Bell on the right was far too heavy and with twenty-seven minutes gone it was a little frustrating, as was the concession of free kicks that we know could damage us. This latest effort cleared the bar and did not really qualify for a shot on target. The Hitchin defence was doing its job well, but we lacked penetration up front.
Hopeful forward lobs sometimes work but the Yeltz defence was far from naïve. Bell’s opportunist strike was well off target. Kpakpe, finding himself in a shooting position had a go but dragged it wide. Then he crossed the ball; and it flashed in front of goal with such pace that no player could reach it.
Caine Elliott was fouled, and the free kick saw the move finished poorly with Manning’s heavy pass going out of play, destined for no player. We had five minutes or so of the half to play and Donnelly’s shot was way off the mark. A neat move from Hitchin was foiled just as neatly, but the half had been something of a disappointment for both teams, where a distinctive lack of ideas was a prominent point.
Horlock strolled forward to take a free kick in stoppage time and it resulted in a free kick for the opposition. Platt sent the ball forward to no effect. The whistle went, perhaps mercifully. It had been a poor half, devoid of entertainment and excitement. A definite plus was the excellent defending from Shane Bush, who was rarely beaten in the air.
Comments in the board room echoed my own thoughts and a positive second half was absolutely imperative. Relegation rivals Sudbury were also at 0-0 at Bromsgrove. There were no substitutions from either side as yet. As I wrote that I noticed that Reece Mitchell, number 14 had entered the fray but for whom I was yet to discover. I was told later that he had replaced Luke Redfern.
Joel Anker had a hooked shot that cleared the bar by a good distance but at least it was something. Then Anker sent in a cross with Bell challenging and Platt the keeper seemed to receive an injury in the groin. Then a Yeltz attack saw Stan Georgiou needing treatment.
Anker was becoming livelier as Hitchin pressed but play was slack rather than slick and Hitchin supporters did their best to encourage their team. Wilkinson was replaced by Devine, which was an interesting decision, but it was a fact that again we had been somewhat lightweight up front, and it remained so, despite the changes.
More free kicks followed for Halesowen and one for Hitchin saw Jones pump the ball forward with Hickman clearing the danger. Bell’s cross looked promising, but the Yeltz defended efficiently.
Then, in a flash, there was a fine cross from Hickman on the right, which was met brilliantly by Donnelly, who converted well. What irony that the scorer bears the same surname as our manager. I made it sixty-nine minutes. One moment of skilful play and Hitchin were chasing the game with limited time. Added to that we heard that Sudbury were winning. Anker’s shot in the first attack after conceding was a fair one but wide. We needed much more of this.
Then Anker had a cross cut out by the keeper. Tearle had replaced Bell and at least Hitchin were pressing. Horlock sent a free kick forward that was intercepted with ease. Devine harassed a defender to no good effect, and Jones fouled Boothe for a Yeltz free kick. Anker was dispossessed on a run and Vincent was replaced by Ntege for Hitchin, a gamble that needed to work. Ntege had Hitchin’s best chance, late in the match.
In a threat of a Hitchin attack, goalkeeper Platt had come off his line – at some distance and became entangled with Hitchin players and clearly fell to earth grasping the ball. The referee somewhat inexplicably awarded a free kick to Halesowen. This was cleared up later the game when the man in black informed me that a Hitchin player had pushed the keeper down thus committing a foul. There were a number of stoppages and Hitchin conceded free kicks in frustration and just a few minutes remained for the unlikely saving of the game and a point gained. Ntege broke free and had time for a shot that he blasted wide of the target. This was perhaps the best chance.
Eight minutes were added, as if in atonement, and we wondered what the team could do with it. Ntege was penalised after some clever play by a defender. Halesowen won a corner and had adopted a leisurely pose compared with Hitchin’s urgency and despair. Sudbury had increased their lead and so they would be just one point behind with two games to go.
The busy referee was lecturing a cluster of players and the after the restart Hitchin got forward to no effect and the visitors made a late substitution. Another forward move from the hosts was ruled offside.
The final whistle was like a funereal knell. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee. And by this, I mean that relegation is now a real probability rather than a mere possibility. Sudbury are haunting us. There are two games to go- and Stamford away next week is, in the modern parlance, a big ask and they knocked us out of the FA Trophy as well as beating us in the league, both games being at Top Field. We conclude with a home fixture against Stourbridge who beat us narrowly earlier in the season. All we can do is hope and play the best we can to avoid the dreaded drop.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Stan Georgiou, Alex Kpakpe, mentioned in despatches, Kavan Cotter, Shane Bush, this reporter’s man of the match, Ciaren Jones, Bradley Bell, (Kye Tearle), Lewis Barker, captain, cautioned, Connor Vincent, cautioned, (Torin Ntege), Joel Anker, cautioned, Finley Wilkinson, (George Devine). Substitutes not used – Layne Eadie and Jack Bateson.
HALESOWEN TOWN
Daniel Platt, captain, cautioned, Luke Redfern, (Reece Mitchell), McKauley Manning, cautioned, Todd Parker, Ryan Wynter, William Harris, Jak Hickman, Kai Lissimore, Miracle Okafor, (Jack Holmes), Caine Elliott, (Ryan Boothe, Kieran Donnelly, GOAL, 67 MINUTES, 0-1. Substitutes not used – Thomas Taylor and Luke Postle.
Referee – Mr R Wharton, assisted by Mr B Compton and Mr T Burns.
Attendance 618
REPORT BY PIPEMAN