Report
After early season struggles at Top Field when Hitchin found it difficult to break teams down the tide has definitely turned. Hitchin followed the 5-0 thrashing of Leighton by going one better with this 6-0 demolition of Enfield. So dominant were Hitchin that supporters went away disappointed that ‘’only’’ six goals were scored! But it really could have been double figures as some gilt edged chances were missed while Enfield goalkeeper George Edgeworth produced a string of excellent saves.
There was one change to the line-up from Saturday with Diogo Freitas-Gouveia replacing the unavailable Josh Coldicott-Stevens and Hitchin went for the jugular from the start. Cieran Jones shot just wide in the first minute while Taylor Rhiney just failed to connect with a cross and then forced a good save from Edgeworth. But Rhiney was not to be denied and opened the scoring in the 11th minute when he finished off a good cross from the right. Rhiney is currently at the top of his game and scored again just 2 minutes later after a good one-two with Gouveia. He then completed a 12 minute hat-trick with a header from a Josh Jackman cross, a really impressive achievement.
Hapless Enfield were on the ropes and could barely get out of their own half with Tyler McGregor a mere spectator. Hitchin continued to relentlessly come forward and Kye Tearle came to the party with a venomous strike from 25 yards after 25 minutes. Such has been the quality of Kye’s goals this season he could almost have a goal of the season competition of his own.
Rhiney and Lewis Franklin came close before a fifth goal arrived after 29 minutes and it was Franklin who finished off a corner. Hitchin did not relax and after 31 minutes Jones added another header from a corner to his growing collection to make it 6-0. Gouveia missed a golden chance while Rhiney was just wide from a great cross by Gouveia before Nicolson forced another save from Edgeworth just before half-time.
Perhaps it was unrealistic to expect a repeat of the goal rush in the second half as with the game won it is hard to keep the same intensity while Enfield defended better and Edgeworth played out of his skin. Chances were still created but the clinical finishing was absent. Rhiney produced a save from Edgeworth after good work by Jackman who then had a shot of his own saved by the legs of Edgeworth.
Hitchin made a triple change after 61 minutes as Rhiney, Jackman and Franklin were withdrawn and all five substitutes were eventually used. Chances continued to come and Jones was disappointed not to convert after a corner while Tearle had a shot well saved.
That elusive seventh goal just would not come despite good efforts from Liam Brooks and Cole Butler but the most important outcome is another three points and it is now 12 league games without defeat. Hitchin are playing their best football of the season and providing rich entertainment for the supporters who will surely continue to flock to Top Field . Hitchin must continue to play in the same positive way which few clubs in the division will be able to cope with and consistency will be the demand from manager Michael Jones.
Hitchin Town
Tyler McGregor
Josh Jackman
Callum Kane
Brett Longden
Charlie Briggs
Ciaren Jones (C) – GOAL 32 mins
Kye Tearle – GOAL 25 mins
Diogo Freitas-Gouveia
Taylor Rhiney – GOALS 11, 13, 18 mins & Sponsor’s MOTM
Lewis Franklin – GOAL 29 mins
Callum Nicolson
Substitutes:
Cole Butler (for Jackman)
Liam Brooks (for Franklin)
Toby Syme (for Jones)
Fernando Bell-Toxtle (for Freitas-Gouveia)
Ade Gbolahan (for Rhiney)
Enfield
George Edgeworth
Matt Hurley (C)
Joni Vukaj
Yousaf Mohamed
Olu Ogunnowo
George Thompson
George Sykes
George Spillane
Freddy Moncur
Lewis Croucher
Brad McClenaghan
Substitutes:
Matthew Thoma (for Vukaj)
Alex Georgiou (for Moncur)
Fionn O’Connell (for Mohamed)
William Ademiluyi (for Sykes)
Razvan-Alexandru Marcu was unused
Referee: Adam Jackson
Attendance: 320