Recap
After their exit from the League Challenge Cup against St Neots in an almost comical penalty competition, Hitchin Town returned to League action, with a distinctly difficult away game against Hednesford. The hosts occupied third position and Hitchin continued to languish at third bottom despite battling to their first draw of the season in a game they may well have won.
The Pitmen have a fine home record and their only loss was against Bromsgrove in the League cup, where they had put out a weakened team. The majority of the near 700 in the ground may have been expecting an emphatic home win but he hosts had to come twice from behind and were made to work very hard by a much improved Hitchin.
Whilst they still caused consternation with the insistence of playing out from the back, there was a notable cohesion in the team, with Luke Brown playing a distinct role as a striker. An early long ball from Marsh was too heavy, and soon Hitchin found themselves needing to defend, particularly from moves along the left flank. Pitmen Master and Tilt combined in a fine move but Ryan Smith was there to snuff out the danger. A forward lob from Marsh seemed well worth it as Luke Brown gave chase, but goalkeeper Wycherley was wise to it.
The shot from Andre Brown followed his good run but the ball went wide and the effort was not as good as the anguished ‘oohs’ from the crowd suggested. His namesake, Luke fired in a similar shot for the Canaries. Then the Hednesford Brown combined with Landsell and this was close to an opening goal. Lycett tried one from range and Masters shot over the bar. Hitchin needed to get a greater share of the possession and fought hard for it. Lycett’s good-looking cross was too high for all heads and for Hitchin Tearle put in a decent shot that needed top be tipped over the bar. From the corner Luke Brown was neatly denied a shooting opportunity.
Despite their pressing, the hosts were not finding it easy and found themselves behind after half and hour from a well-constructed Hitchin move. Immediately before the goal Lawrie Marsh saw his shot cannon off a defender but Brown seized his chance and achieve a bottom corner finish with a fine, low shot. It was ann audacious goal from audacious play and the home announcer seemed to begrudge mentioning it. By way of contrast when Hednesford scored he held on to the vowels loud and long, almost deafening us as we were sitting in front of a speaker.,
But Hednesford were definitely on the hunt and Andre Brown’s shot needed a confident save from Horlock. A good tactic employed by the hosts was the long throw and two of these caused mayhem, with Ludford-Ison the thrower. As we approached half-time there were nervous moments, with Coldicott-Stevens and Webb defending well in a crowded goalmouth, where the ball pinged around worryingly. There was the ‘customary’ late free-kick conceded, centrally outside the eighteen yard box but it was entirely wasted by Flanagan. Hitchin thus took the lead to the interval knowing that they would be facing a difficult second period. They had contained Hednesford and we wondered how long the Canaries could hold on to this lead.
An answer was provided to this question within a minute of the restart when, in their first foray – along the left flank gain there was a simple cross and an equally simple conversion from Andre Landell, who had given the Hitchin defence a torrid time in the first period. The home crowd probably felt that their team would become the more dominant force and go on to achieve a ‘form’ result. It is here that we can praise Hitchin for their resistance, their work rate and heir refusal to be overawed.
A major concern was the easer that Hednesford were able to construct attacks emanating from the left flank, but Tearle and Marsh did their best to stem this flow, but that threat remained and was never dealt with satisfactorily. Luke Brown caused mild amusement when he thought he might catch the keeper off guard but his long range shot brought jeers at the very idea of it. There was a bit of a scare for Hitchin supporters when Luke Barker wet down off the ball, but it was not serious and he was able to continue. Since his return, Barker has indeed been influential.
A Hednesford corner from the very eager Lycett provided the chance for a headed effort from Kyle Rowley, that was held by Horlock. Then, three minutes short of the hour mark, Hitchin surprised the Pitmen again. It may well have surprised Rio Dasilva as well as his unwitting loss of possession, then a partial regaining led to a cheekily taken goal. The impressive Ciaren Jones and Alex Brown were also involved in the move and it was Alex Brown who poached the goal, and the players, in a sea of magenta celebrated with the supporters behind the goal.
Exasperated at going behind for the second time, the hosts piled forward, winning a corner that was defended a little awkwardly, as were others, but it was clear that Hitchin would try to hang on to this lead. Nevertheless a fine move involving the Hitchin brothers Brown saw Luke with a chance and his attempted shot was blocked. But then came the most frustrating moment of the match when, Luke Brown ran in possession and had only the keeper to beat, which he did, but, agonisingly for Canary supporters the shot struck the foot of the far post. It was a golden moment and had that one gone in, at 3-1 up Hitchin would probably have gone on to win this match. But there were more twists and turns to come in this game where everyone stayed to the end, since the result had become so unpredictable.
Hednesford brought on two substitutes, Atkinson for Bailey and Hill for Flanagan, and they were soon fully involved. There was a fair effort from Master, and again Ludford-Ison employed the long throw, and Tearle did well to block a shot from this. Then, to our surprise ( and home officials agreed with us), Hednesford were awarded a corner and from this Ludford-Ison headed in the equaliser after seventy minutes. Protests were in vain, of course. It meant that Hitchin would be up against it for the remaining, twenty minutes and they did very well, keeping their shape, defending resolutely and keeping an eye for the counter attack.
Of course there were nervous moments and the Canary penchant for conceding free-kicks in dangerous areas has not yet taken a holiday. Hitchin made their one substitution which saw Malaki Black come on for Dasilva. He was soon involved sand tried a shot which brought a routine save from Wycherley. Then there was the moment when we all thought that Hitchin would go behind for the first time and it fell to Landsell the tormentor, who received a pass and had virtually an open goal and after he had practically blasted the ball out of the ground there were gasps of disbelief at such an unaccountable miss.
Andre Brown was soon substituted and Morley came on for the last ten minutes. Both teams could have scored in this feisty conclusion. Tearle paused a nano second too long before his shot, as did Luke Brown, who could not muster enough power for his effort. Horlock punched one cross away dramatically. Tearle had a late header and Horlock was told to stop wasting time. But Hitchin prevailed for the first league draw of the season as, given the placings of both teams it almost felt like a victory and had Luke Brown not hit the post and scored that third goal we might be celebrating three points and a rise in the league position.
Be assured that Hitchin were well worth their point and it is a bit of a fillip top for the forthcoming home clash against high flying Coalville Town who come to Top Field on Monday (11 October). It was an absorbing game to watch and one where we may feel proud of Hitchin’s sterling efforts. More, please.
HEDNESFORD TOWN
Andrew Wycherley, Lewis Ludford-Ison, GOAL,70 MINUTES, Carter Lycett, Ben Bailey, captain,(Wesley Atkinson), Kyleb Rowley, Reece Flanagan, (James Hill), Chay Tilt, cautioned, Todd Parker, cautioned, Andre Brown, (Joseph Morley),Shaquille Master, Substitutes not used – Niall Rooney and Jonathan Brown.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Lawrie Marsh, Alex Brown, GOAL, 58 MINUTES, Ryan Smith, Dan Webb, captain, Ciaren Jones, Lewis Barker, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Rio Dasilva, cautioned, (Malaki Black), Luke Brown, GOAL 30 MINUTES, Kye Tearle, cautioned. Substitutes not used – Henry Snee, Stan Georgiou and Urijah Gordon-Douglas.
REFEREE: Mr Alan Cox, assisted by Mr Matthew Broadhurst and Mr Ian Croston.
ATTENDANCE: 688
REPORT BY PIPEMAN