Report
Hitchin Town travelled to Lincolnshire well aware that today’s game was of crucial importance. The hosts needed a victory to enhance their play off prospects and the visitors needed the points to stave off relegation. The coach was bristling with a larger number of supporters than usual and many exhibited the yellow and green, and some brandished the inflatable canaries. They had some inventive songs and were possessed of a welcome optimism.
An apt quotation from Ovid came to mind, namely, ‘when you have set yourself a task, finish it.’ Stirring words but this task would not have been ours to perform had our league form taken such a disastrous turn. This was my first visit to Stamford’s new ground, and I visited the old ground just the once. The new venue has an impressive and generous infrastructure, and the actual playing area would benefit notably with some terracing opposite the main stand and behind one goal. Easy for me to say as I am not paying for it, but I understand there are some plans afoot when the proposed housing development is underway.
The injury list had become extended, and the starting eleven saw a recall for Stephen Gleeson and Toby Syme. There was also the quiet announcement that Shane Bush was now captain and played in his former role as a striker. Finley Wilkinson was injured. Of trivial interest was seeing Ciaren Jones in a number eighteen shirt, which means that someone has mislaid the number six shirt. Luton loan player Jack Bateson was also back in the team.
As we found the away directors reserved seating, we were somewhat impeded by an elderly gentleman ensconced in this reserved area and he would not move as he said, ‘I’ve sat here all season’. We hoped his team would not be so intransigent.
Hitchin’s first opportunity came from a Gleeson free kick that caused some hope, ruled out by an infringement. Stamford’s Lee Shaw had a half chance. At the other end both Devine and Anker had blocked shots. The Daniels prepared attacks with patience but not yet with precision. I then noticed that Bateson and Barker had the wrong numbered shirts on, but I do not think it is a hanging offence just yet.
Gleeson’s cunning pass led to a corner, which fell to the same player whose shot was nullified, and we were yet to see an attempt on goal by either side, with a quarter of an hour gone. Hitchin had looked the livelier as the hosts seemed lethargic. Without doubt, a goal would enliven proceedings. A Jones free kick petered out on the other side of the pitch and Duffy fired away the first shot for the hosts which was both weak and inaccurate.
Again, questions were asked about the Hitchin forward line, with Bush seemingly isolated and Devine drifting in and out of play. A long ball for Anker was over hit, and Chitiza at the other end made little of the slight chance afforded him. Then the Daniels won a soft free kick in an inviting area, which was the cause of some concern. It was a fair shot, but over the bar, nevertheless. Then Hilton, with a clear chance, fired straight at Horlock. The Daniels were awake, and alert enough to thwart Hitchin’s next attack.
The referee marched meaningfully to the dug out and had a conversation with Hitchin manager Brett Donnelly, which is not an isolated incident. Play was painfully slow and ill directed at this point, some thirty- five minutes into a less than thrilling half. Still no attempt on goal from the visitors and less than special service to the front runners.
Anker on a promising run fell over at the precise moment he attempted his shot which was wasteful rather than comical. Then, as ill- luck has it, Stamford were awarded a penalty on forty- one minutes. The bulky Duffy went down, and Jones was adjudged to have pushed him. Glennon took the kick and he converted successfully. It was a lead scarcely deserved, but when you are in the relegation basement, good fortune rarely come your way.
Anker sent in a cross that landed on the roof of the net. A Hitchin free kick was delayed whilst the referee had a presumably admonitory chat with Gleeson, who following the restart, fired wide.
The interval came soon after and we from Hitchin felt a sense of disappointment and frustration. The penalty was soft but then again it was not disputed. Hitchin had been toothless up front, which was most unsatisfactory for a team desperate for a win. Relegation rivals Sudbury were at 1-1. There was a chance immediately following the restart, but it came to nothing as did a couple of corners. Kpapke showed characteristic willing but was unsupported in one of his runs in possession. He was spoken to by the referee for a stern challenge and it must be said the referee had maintained excellent control.
I was somewhat alarmed when our secretary informed me that Sudbury had built up a 4-1 lead over Long Eaton. We had replaced Cotter with Tearle and Anker with Bell and did not have too many minutes to salvage this match. Duffy’s fine cross to Vince saw the latter shoot accurately along the ground and the hosts were now 2-0 ahead and the gloom increased.
Hitchin looked a team without direction, now struggling to keep possession or indeed win possession against opponents who, even their own supporters had described as mediocre. A Gleeson free kick give a glimmer of hope but no more. Some sense of urgency might have helped. Duffy had a blocked shot and play was held up whilst Syme was treated for a knock. Eadie replaced Kpapke, causing me to think of how he and Bell had been influential wing backs earlier in the season and most of the season before.
Duffy had a weak header easily held and we waited for Hitchin to get the ball into their opponents’ penalty area. That required patience. Then, following a caution for a home player there was a prolonged scuffle on the far side involving the majority of the playing personnel and some others. This was the only bit of urgency we saw all afternoon and it was entirely unwelcome. Apparently, it was caused by a home bench official lobbing the ball at Gleeson whose back was turned, which was a very unsporting thing to do.
A limp effort came from Hitchin after resumption and we all but hobbled to the end of this unremarkable match. A Hitchin corner was cleared with ease, and another just brought a free kick for the hosts.
There was another quotation from Ovid I had hoped to use, and that was ‘though the strength is lacking, the willingness is commendable.’ I I find that not really applicable today. Five additional minutes were tacked on, not that it made any difference to the outcome. I felt a degree of sympathy for the sizeable number of Hitchin supporters who had made their colourful way to this bit of Lincolnshire and to see it all end in bitter disappointment.
Sudbury inadvertently rubbed salt into the open wound by putting seven goals past a presumably disinclined Long Eaton and the Suffolk side can only be admired for setting the task and finishing it, to give another nod to Ovid. They are now two points ahead of us with just the one game remaining. They have overhauled a once eight-point deficit.
For Hitchin and Sudbury, the mathematics is clear. Hitchin need to win, if they do and Sudbury draw, then we go down on goal difference. If we win and Sudbury lose, we escape and the whole dramatic aspect is that the issue went all the way to the final game of the season.
We thank our hosts for their most cordial welcome and I found that their supporters were a generally friendly bunch. So ends our first visit to the new Zeeco stadium and it was, the result notwithstanding, an enjoyable visit. Good luck to the Daniels should they reach the playoffs.
One last thing here from me. I apologise for the late appearance of the last report – there was a problem with the website and, as such beyond my control. The actual report was completed before I left Top Field. Today’s report was completed at 17.36 for sending to the website as soon as I reached home. I am making all these points as it had been suggested that I delayed the report as we had lost. Not so. The report should go on at the same time whatever the result.
STAMFORD TOWN
Michael Duggan, Michael Armstrong, Harry Vince, GOAL 2-0, 66 MINUTES, William Glennon, PENALTY GOAL, 42 MINUTES, 1-0, Ashton Offler, James Blunden, Tendal Chitiza, Callum Chettle, Jack Duffy, Lee Shaw, (Jon Challinor), Rhys Hilton, (Thomas Siddons). Substitutes not used- Oliver Brown-Hill, Tsagium Florian, Michael Frew.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Toby Syme, Alex Kpapke, cautioned, (Layne Eadie), Lewis Barker, Jack Bateson, Ciaren Jones, Kavan Cotter (Kye Tearle), Stephen Gleeson, Shane Bush, Joel Anker, (Bradley Bell), George
Devine.Substitutes not used- Matthew Campbell- Mhlope and Daniel Emovon.
Referee- Mr A Wilson, assisted by Mr C Forbes and Mr E Mills.
Attendance 611
REPORT BY PIPEMAN