Report
The final pre-season game proved to be excellent preparation for the Canaries, with most of the squad being involved against the Step One Conference club who indeed stepped it up in the second half, giving the Hitchin defence plenty to do.
But for Hitchin supporters the highlight of this game was the outstanding performance in the first half that brought two goals without reply, with the hosts playing with confidence and fluidity.
The match began, as expected with the visitors stroking the ball around in an imposing manner, with Dan Webb, at the heart of defence being a vital presence. There was a fine move involving Femi Ilesanmi and Jack Munns with Tyrone Marsh’s weak header being the first goal attempt. Then Josh Rees exchanged passes with Scott Boden but this was defended by Josh Coldicott-Stevens, who has been associated with the Boreham Wood Academy, so I was told.
There were a couple of diagonal, long passes, one being cleared up field to Callum Stead who sent a cunning ball to Alex Marsh but Wood keeper Nathan Ashmore cut this out. Munn’s cross saw a header from Scott Boden, with Horlock alert to it. A cross from the embattled Max Ryan saw a header just wide from Rio Dasilva. If this effort was praiseworthy so was the next Hitchin attack which saw a cross from the right and Luke Brown had the time to set up and finish his shot superbly. This is the goal that has eluded him in recent matches and we hope there will be many more from him this season. Sixteen minutes gone and Hitchin were ahead and playing well.
Shortly after the goal, Hitchin were given a free kick, centrally just outside the area, which was delayed whilst the referee seemed to be explaining his decision. This free-kick, from scorer Brown struck the defensive wall and went for a Hitchin corner that was gathered by Ashmore. At the other end Boden’s pass to Ilesanmi saw a shot that was held by Horlock. A Wood free-kick wide on the left saw a glancing header from Gus Mafuta, again held by Horlock.
Hitchin were caught short trying to play out from the back and this led to a chance where skipper Dan Webb intervened in a no-nonsense manner. Beating the off-side, The Wood had another go but the bounce of the ball favoured the defence. Kane Smith’s cross saw Ryan again defend well. Luke Broen tried to latch onto a Ryan crfoss but Ashmore intervened smartly. Following a Hitchin free-kick Dasilva tried to encroach but Ilesanmi saw off this chance. There seemed to be an inevitable equaliser for The Wood but Darrion Furlong headed off the line and from the counter move Hitchin created a fair chance that was defended, and from the corner they extended their lead with a fine goal from Rio Dasilva, after thirty-eight minutes.
It was indeed splendid stuff from the home side. Max Ryan received various minor wounds in the course of duty, and in one incident the offender excused himself by saying that Ryan was already outside the field of play. A Hitchin free-kick by the corner flag saw Luke Brown have a go, but Ashmore held his shot. A through ball aimed for Boden looked the business but it was too heavily struck for Boden to reach it.
The half ended after a Wood attack where the striker was caught off-side, and of course he netted just for the sake of it. It had been a pulsating first half and a memorable performance by Hitchin, who replaced virtually the entire side with substitutes after the interval and at various stages of the second half. The Wood made changes too and it is fair to say that they dominated the second half, clawing a goal back and seeing the post and cross bar struck in different attacks.
The massive changes affected Hitchin’s fluidity and they had some serious defending to do, which they set about resolutely. There was a shot from Will Evans, who played with authority. A corner saw Horlock gather gallantly in mid-air and it would be fair to say that our talented goal keeper was very much the hero, making one save that was breathtaking. Boreham Wood pressed as they were expected to and a goal sooner or later looked inevitable. Ben Walster conceded a corner and then defended it grimly and Hitchin were largely confined to their own half, with long clearances merely delaying the next attack by a few seconds.
A nice dink for Tyrone Marsh saw Horlock save yet again. Frankie Raymond’s effort was defended and Kane Smith shot wide. Jacob Mendy Mendy sent one over the bar that gave me time to wonder if his parents loved him so much they named him twice. Then, the goal that had been threatened materialised in masterly fashion with Josh Rees the scorer after seventy-six minutes. Horlock the hero was beaten at last.
The Wood were far from spent; they hit the top of the cross bar with another strike and a corner saw the ball strike the far post and ricochet into the grateful waiting arms of Horlock. It was nice to have a bit of luck. Horlock then held a blaster of a free-kick, and from a Wood free-kick, centrally just outside the area, Horlock pulled off the save of the game with a one-handed, diving save from Mendy Mendy.
The Hitchin team with a; their substitutes did well to hold on to their lead, but it was a close thing and Boreham Wood certainly deserved an equaliser from their aggressive second-half display. But it did not come to pass and Hitchin claimed the win after being fully tested in all departments by the Conference side.
So, that is it – the pre-season programme is complete and the best win was against Beaconsfield, but this won ran it close. We now turn, at last, back to League football and we hope that it is not affected by the current pandemic for a third season. The Canaries travel to Redditch United on Saturday, with high hopes and expectations. I think we have all looked forward to this start of the season more than most and hope that normal service will be resumed and sustained. Fingers crossed.
We thank our Hertfordshire neighbours and hope they have a successful season at their exalted level, one that has been reached through hard work and excellent organisation, with major improvements to their stadium and a squad of very able players.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Max Ryan, Alex Brown, Lawrie Marsh, Dan Webb, captain, Darrion Furlong, Alex Marsh, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Callum Stead, Luke Brown, GOAL, 16 MINUTES, Rio Dasilva, GOAL,38 MINUTES.
Substitutes used – all second half: Ben Walster, Lewis Barker, Kye Tearle, Henry Snee, Malachi Black, Steve Cawley, Delsin Akom, Urijah Gordon-Douglas, Stan Georgiou, Jonas Kolonda.
Unused substitutes: Dan Akubuine, Nathan Godfey, GK,
BOREHAM WOOD
Nathan Ashmore, Femi Ilesanmi, David Stephens, Jamal Fyfield, Jack Munns, Kane Smith, Josh Rees, GOAL, 76 MINUTES, Gus Mafuta, Frankie Raymond, Tyrone Marsh, Scott Boden.
Substitutes used – all second-half – Will Evans, Jacob Mendy Mendy, Connor Smith.
Unused substitutes: Donnabhan Green GK, Mark Ricketts, Henry McKenna.
REFEREE: Mr Tom Danaher, assisted by Mr Stuart Smith and Mr Mark Howard,
ATTENDANCE: 283
REPORT BY PIPEMAN