Recap
Before we get to today’s match, honourable mention must be made of the volunteer ground staff who have worked so diligently and the huge improvement at Top Field is so pleasantly noticeable. I am told that the new stand at the Fishpond Road end will be installed within a fortnight.
Th is was the opening pre-season for both clubs and Luton Town sent a strong squad that demonstrated silky skills in a thoroughly professional performance that was appreciated by the home supporters. There was even a touch of the posh today, as the match officials had a mauve top, and referee Will Finnie had one of those aerosol cans full of the white foamy stuff, and he used it as well.
Hitchin, sporting a nice new kit with the redesigned badge held their own for a good twenty-five minutes and even got the ball in the net that had it counted would have opened the scoring. It was disallowed for off-side, which disappointed home supporters as much as would-be scorer Callum Stead.
That first twenty-five minutes was Hitchin’s best spell, even though the professionals hogged the possession and gave a fair exhibition of passing football, and home goalkeeper Charlie Horlock had plenty to do. He proved very alert when a telling through ball presented an excellent chance for the visitors. Coming off his line to clear.
Whilst it was clear that the visitors would dominate on the ball and provide a fairly impregnable midfield, Hitchin did manage to get forward in the opening stages. Their first corner was well over hit. Ben Walster’s free kick in an advantageous position was well hit and not that far wide. It was one of very few direct attempts on goal from Hitchin, who were eventually well and truly stifled with a long ball the only option to circumvent the midfield.
Luton soon pressed with a purpose and there was a good cross from Fed Onyedinma, that was defended and the follow-up header cleared the bar. Luton’s Kai Naismith was a reassuring presence for the visitors, and he put in a tremendous ball into the box, but no-one was there to see it home. Hitchin’s new signing, Alex Brown, brother of Luke, had a promising start, and he combined well with Callum Stead and Rio DaSilva, but the effort was thwarted with apparent ease.
Onyedinma fired one wide, and the feeling was that there might well be a goal soon from these repeated forays, but DaSilva had a good chance – the best dso far for Hitchin but James Shea got there first. Stead combined with Kalonda and there was a free-kick for Hitchin with Callum Stead poking the ball into the net and the flag was raised. The only VAR was the opinion of the supporters.
A fine combination Onyedinma and a lively Cameron Jerome came close for Luton and when the visitors obtained a free kick outside the penalty area the referee sprayed that stuff. As I said, we were posh today. A corner came from the free-kick and from this the opening goal, a neat header from Jordan Clark. A spoiler is permissible here as this talented player scored no fewer than four goals in the first half. After the first I thought it might be an idea to give him a trial at Hitchin (!), after his fourth I think our manager should put in a seven day approach for him. We should be so lucky. This goal came on the half-hour mark and two minutes later Clark struck again and a minute later he nearly got a third – clearly a burgeoning talent for Luton Town. The next one came but a minute after that – Clark again.
There was almost a fourth but Horlock hoofed it off his goal line but a few minutes before half -time, Clark completed his exhibition with the fourth goal.
We could do nothing but admire the way that the Bedfordshire League Club had played, picking Hitchin apart after the non-league club had made a promising start. The half had ended with a fine save from the busy Horlock.
It was good to see the revamped Top Field nearly full with the permitted attendance and just dandy for us to see some football in the flesh after all the Euro games on television. We hope that in the forthcoming League games we will see many return.
As is usual on these occasions, both clubs fielded a different team for the second half, but Luton’s second selection did just as well as the first and added three goals to the score line without reply.
The pattern of the latter stages of the first half was repeated, with Hitchin more or less unable to break out of their own half, and Luton stroked the ball around with confidence and skill. Elijah Adebayo combined well with Elliot Lee with one effort that was well defended. Luton, as is the style now, built from the back with patient passing to and fro, keeping possession well. Dan Potts had a blocked shot and Carlos Mendes-Gomes assistance for Harry Cornick was scrambled away.
Jake Davis had some good touches for Hitchin, and Cornick’s effort was finished well but disallowed for off-side. The fifth goal came when dinked the ball over Horlock on the hour mark. Cornick almost made it six eight minutes later- firing just wide, A free-kick aimed for Kye Tearle gave the young Hitchin star too far to travel – and it was only through a long pass that Hitchin seemed to have a chance of getting forward. Horlock again made a good save from Cornick and Elliot Lee made it 6-0 after seventy-eight minutes.
The last goal came four minutes from time when a virtually supine Mendes-Gomes made it seven up. The gulf between the levels was shown here to be huge – and think, Luton – in what is the second division , have made huge strides. I remember that not all that long ago they were actually a non-league club – and now the future is bright an orange, with a new stadium on the way. We wish them every good fortune and thank them for their professional exhibition today at Top Field.
HITCHIN TOWN
First Half
Charlie Horlock, Daniel Akubuine, Alex Brown, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Samuel Okeye-Ahaneku, Ben Walster, Alex Marsh, Lewis Barker, Callum Stead, Rio DaSilva, Jonas Kalonda.
Second Half
Charlie Horlock, Samuel Okerye-Ahaneku, Lawrie Marsh, Ciaran Jones, Alex Brown, Lewis Barker, Ryan Smith, Alex Marsh, Kye Tearle, Jake Davis, Callum Stead.
Substitutes – all second half: Lewis Clayton, Sam King, Henry Snee, Sam Kelly and Max Ryan.
Luton Town
First half
James Shea, Peter Kioso, Reece Burke, Kai Naismith, Sam Beckwith, Glen Rea, Alan Campbell, Dion Pereira, JORDAN CLARK, MAN OF THE MATCH- Four goals – 30, 32, 34 and 42 minutes, Cameron Jerome, Fed Onyedinma,
Second half
Harry Isted, James Bree, GOAL, 60 minutes, Gabby Osho, Sonny Bradley, Dan Potts, Henry Lansbury, Sam Beckwith, Elliot Lee, GOAL, 78, Harry Cornick, Elijah Adabayo, Carlos Mendes-Gomes, GOAL, 86.
REFEREE: Mr Will Finnie, assisted by Mr Neil Davies and Mr Paul Howard.
ATTENDANCE: 1158
REPORT BY PIPEMAN
PHOTO: Ginger_Ollie_Photography on Instagram.