Report
As far as I am aware, this was the first ever competitive meeting between the two clubs. Our opponents tonight are the third club in Biggleswade, following Town and United. They are a new club and currently tenants at Bedford Town, and their progress has been remarkable.
We at Hitchin were still smarting from the last kick of the match defeat at home against St Albans, in front of 1,181 spectators. It was particularly disappointing since we had levelled the scores with a penalty in stoppage time. Tonight would have been an ideal time to eclipse that with another decent performance.
Biggleswade currently top our division and are unbeaten with four wins and a draw from their five matches. I also noted that they have won two out of two penalty shootouts in the FA Trophy and the Bedfordshire Senior Cup. In idle curiosity I asked one if the home officials if they had come up with a nickname yet and received the somewhat prosaic reply of “FC,” which was not much of a test of the imagination.
Team news for Hitchin was the omission of Kye Tearle, Charlie Briggs and Josh Jackman are ill, and Goalie Josh Bowler is still on the mend. It was good to see the Marsh twins, who turned in some hectic performances for Hitchin Town, their only foray away from their present club.
The renovated Eyrie is a splendid venue, with its artificial pitch and excellent facilities and a fair number had turned out for the occasion, and travelling support was as good as ever.
Hitchin began with an untidy foray along the right, spoiled by Couglin-Brown. There was a token shot from Morrall and a wimpish free kick from Hitchin as well as a reasonable penalty shout for the Greens.
Then, with some rather dilatory defending Wielbad evaded all and was a little unfortunate not to put the hosts ahead, but it was a notable save from Bonfield. This was adequate warning, not at all heeded by Hitchin and indeed a penalty was awarded when Ciaren Jones hauled a player down and Alex Marsh scored with considerable emphasis. We had played twelve minutes.
Then, right after the goal, there was a home free kick that Bonfield needed to punch away but only partially clear. Hitchin were clearly rattled. After a good opening it was now the Greens who were playing the better football.
One prompt intervention saw another chance and the hosts continued to play at a fast pace. A cross from Hunt enabled Wielbad to have another go, but it was routine for Bonfield. At the other end Morrall concluded an attack with a high lob into touch.
Callum Kane won possession in midfield and set off on a startling run of some duration, but he could not find Rhiney with his pass. The Biggleswade press was highly effective and caused some cautious back passes to Bonfield. Alex Marsh’s cross to Wielbad was grasped by Bonfield. Franklin capitalised on an error, but the shot was parried.
Akinbusoye, whom I recall at least training at Hitchin, received a caution, for, I think, an off the ball incident. The Greens had a temporary difficulty in clearing their lines, but were soon on the hunt again, but with some imprecise play. A decent Hitchin attack, one of those multi- passing jobs saw an anticlimax with Callum Nicholson firing well wide.
Of some concern was how Hitchin were being overrun in midfield and Hunt was able to complete a move emanating therefrom, but his shot looked a lot better than it was. It was a mystery to see Hitchin playing so poorly after recent games. Akinbusoye was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card, and I can only think the referee was deliberately lenient to keep numbers at maximum.
We were heading to the conclusion of a poor half for Hitchin who were yet to test Ibrahim Rashid in the home goal. There was a free kick for the Greens right on the edge of the area and Alex Marsh scored a wonderful goal, his second, from this opportunity. I must say that this additional goal was richly deserved. It seemed unlikely at this point that Hitchin could recover sufficiently. Their diffident play lacked that wholesome spirit of before. Franklin’s blast over the bar virtually signalled the end of a fine half for the Greens but a poor one for the Canaries.
It was perhaps not a surprise to the noisy home fans that, on resumption, following an immediate corner they took a three-goal lead with Akinbusoye tapping in at close range in the general muddle. This was surely it for Hitchin and Ciaren Jones received a caution moments later. Akinbusoye’s goal made a change from us being swamped by the Marsh.
I suppose the term damage limitation came to mind, but, curiously, our hosts were 4-0 up in of the Bedfordshire cups against Stotfold and it ended up 4-4. I wonder if there is anything in the suggestion that when we play step three teams, we are allowed to play and at step four there is always a snapping at the heels with no time being allowed on the ball. In typical fashion a Hitchin attack broke down when Rhiney’s attempted shot was easily blocked. We still waited for a direct shot on goal.
There were substitutions for Hitchin, that almost seemed for the sake of it, with the game, being in such a parlous state The standard of play in this second half was yet to match the exhilarating pace of the first. Franklin tried a shot that was inches over and Bonfield held an on target shot. Bomolo, who had just come in, found his name in the book for a cynical challenge. A cross from the indefatigable Franklin saw JCS put one over and a Hitchin free kick was almost on target. The introduction of substitutes for Hitchin had no effect and it was if they had been tainted with that lack of confidence and incisive play from those they replaced. Franklin led by example, and Kane was a willing helper but so many of our team were below par.
A rare Hitchin corner brought another, then another. You wait for a corner then three come along at once. Then would you believe, a fourth. Not one produced a serious threat on goal. If Biggleswade were easing off it was only slightly. Kane sent in a cross and a home defender sent it exuberantly out of the stadium. I do not think he was time wasting. Cole Butler was then presented with Hitchin’s best opportunity, and he was narrowly wide to use that contradictory term.
There were a few minutes to go, and it occurred to me that Hitchin are here soon for a league game and if we could win by a scrambled goal, such as scored by Bomolo in the eighty-ninth minute, it would be acceptable. That assumes we could stop the Greens from scoring or even strain the Greens. A much better performance was needed. Right at the end a Hitchin goal was correctly disallowed as the whistle had already gone. Even so, Hitchin saved all their attacking play for the last few minutes. A late free kick indicated the end of the game, one which Biggleswade deserved to win, and Hitchin deserved to lose. So, we now ‘concentrate on the league’ earlier than we had anticipated.
Biggleswade FC
Rashid
Hunt
Oswick
L Marsh (C)
Jenkins
Holmes
A Marsh – (GOALS – 12 mins (pen), 43 mins) Reporter’s MOTM
Martucci
Akinbusoye – (GOAL – 46 mins)
Wielbad
Coughlin-Brown
Substitutes
Hayford (Holmes)
Bond (Akinbusoye)
Bailey (Coughlin-Brown)
Baird & Turner were unused
Hitchin Town
Bonfield
Franklin – Hitchin’s MOTM
Kane
Syme
Joy
Jones (C)
Morrall
Heaps
Rhiney
Alemanji
Nicolson
Substitutes
Coldicott-Stevens (Morrall)
Butler (Heaps)
Bomolo (Rhiney) – (GOAL – 89 mins)
Brooks (Alemanji)
McDonald was unused
Referee: Mr C Timperley, assisted by Mr T Hood and Mr R Taylor.
Attendance: 316
Report by Pipeman