Report
This additional friendly provided the opportunity for more possibles to stake their claim as a probable and I am sure that manager Mark Burke drew sufficient information on the potential of various players. Our opponents also experimented and as their secretary said it was a useful outing for all concerned.
It is always pleasant to visit the well designed stadium at Langford Road and a good deal of credit goes to the ground staff for the excellent pitch that looked a lusher green compared to the tinder dry fields in the surrounding countryside. Biggleswade Town, who were unfortunately relegated from the Premier Division have the immediate ambition of returning to the top flight and in this quest we wish them every success.
The hosts began in earnest, and Hitchin defender Toby Syme was in the right place to thwart two attempts to thread a through ball to a waiting striker. A distinguishing feature of this first half was the veritable box of tricks called Seni Akinola who saw a lot of the ball and showed creative verve and pace. He combined in one move with the equally earnest Jonny Allotey that led to Bradley Bell’s cross to the waiting Finley Wilkinson whose header was off target.
Biggleswade had a free kick just outside the area after eight minutes, which Teirnan Parker punched away but, following a clear infringement, the hosts were awarded another free-kick which brought one blocked shot and a direct strike that was also unsuccessful. Akinola then provided Wilkinson with another headed chance and this was again wide of the target.
Akinola was ubiquitous and he was the instigator of a fine move that was just ruled off-side. Biggleswade began to get into their stride and they enjoyed a good spell of attacking football and in nineteen minutes they took the lead from a corner, which was difficult to defend and a Hitchin player unwittingly put the ball past his own keeper. I could not make out just who the ‘culprit’ was, and those sitting near me offered any one of three. I daresay that if I had asked the players direct all would have said ‘I am Spartacus.’ So, whoever it was, you have remained anonymous.
Allotey and Akinola wanted to get on a with things and were soon going forward purposely, forcing two successive corners, which brought two unsuccessful shots. There was a brief pause for what is now known as a ‘cooling break’, and it gave those with a poetical soul the chance to enjoy the Bedfordshire sunset and the effect it was having on the home shirts, a kind of tangerine colour, which is their away kit, of course.
When we resumed we saw Meakes try in vain to latch onto a cunning through ball, and then he won a corner to atone for it. This gave Allotey a half chance but he was outwitted by a defender. It was Allotey who provided the assistance for the equalising goal that was hammered home by Meakes after thirty-seven minutes. Parity did not endure longer than two minutes because the Waders walloped in another goal, the second from the talented Akon, who over the course of the game deserved a hat-trick. He might have bagged this but for another piece of precise defending from Toby Syme.
Biggleswade, their tails up, had another go and there was excellent defending from Dempsey Thomas and Bradley Bell to keep the goal deficit at just one at the interval. It had been an entertaining game of clean, attacking football and this continued in the second half that began in an auspicious manner for the hosts. We had barely played a minute when Bunyan, if I heard the announcer right, did what this famous namesake did and practised what he preached. His goal made it 3-1 to the Waders.
What was desirable was an exciting comeback from the Canaries but they were adequately contained by an organised defence, but they did create a number of decent chances. Naturally substitutes entered the fray at regular intervals and Hitchin, by my calculation made seven, including a tentative return for fans’ favourite Josh Coldicott-Stevens, who showed his normal up and at ‘em style but clearly needs more playing time before he regains his influence. There was a mysterious number nineteen, and my inquiries as to the player’s name from those I would expect to know shrugged their shoulders. So, whoever he was , well done and I am sorry that you must be anonymous.
There was one Aaron Pike and I wondered if he was asked for his name by the referee whether anyone would say ‘Don’t tell him, Pike,’ but he has probably lived through that ad nauseam. He was certainly lively enough but could have done with greater accuracy in his efforts on goal. Marlow Gough played an intelligent through ball but this bit of incisive play was matched by the home keeper’s alertness and the chance was gone.
Pike was fouled on a run and Bell’s fine free kick needed some good defending. Meanwhile the energetic Ackon again came close to his deserved hat-trick, and a later header from him was held by Parker. Pike fired another effort over the bar and the hosts played the game out comfortably to gain a deserved win. As I said, it was a useful exercise and a clean game.
We enjoyed the usual hospitality from our hosts and they begin their season on Saturday whilst Hitchin look forward to meeting Rushall Olympic at Top Field.
I apologise for the lack of team information formation for Biggleswade and the names of the officials.
HITCHIN TOWN
Tiernan Parker, Delsin Ackom, Seni Akinola, Toby Syme, captain, Dempsey Thomas, Marlow Gough, Bradley Bell, Herbie Townsend, Sam Meakes, GOAL,37 MINUTES, Jonny Allotey, Finley Wilkinson.
Substitutes – all used – Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Aaron Pike, Harry Dollimore, Ace Barker, Chris Khoi, Daniel Griffith and the mystery man known as number nineteen.
Attendance – N/A.
REPORT BY PIPEMAN