Report
It is always a pleasure to welcome the young gentlemen of Arsenal, representing as they do, one of the great global names in football. But as I arrived there was a flurry of activity, as the now presumably signed Hitchin Town squad were arranging themselves for the team photograph, which will appear in away programmes along with potted biographies of each player.
This was the last friendly before the league programme commenced, and one where manager Brett Donnelly hoped to instil a more positive attitude than was present at the last friendly at Stotfold. He was characteristically outspoken in his criticism, and we hoped that players would react to his exhortations for overall improvement.
Ticket sales had been brisk and it was good to see so many Gooners, all wearing the famous shirt. I am visiting the Emirates next week as a guest of my nephew who has bought a hospitality deal as a general thank you for the countless times I had taken him to Highbury and also a few games at the Emirates. I will be wearing my Hitchin tie.
The match began with one of those multi passing moments within the penalty area as the young Gunners played into midfield. The first chance was a good one from Lewis Franklin whose lob needed to be tipped over the bar by Khari Ranson. The corner did not maintain the expectation.
Hitchin were well up for it with purposeful tackling, A cross from Titchmarsh gave Franklin a chance but he ballooned it, but when the goalie tried an evasive tackle, he lost possession and Morrall made it one nil to the Hitchin Town. We had played eight minutes. It was an unexpected error from the young keeper. It was a little reminiscent of the goal conceded at Stotfold.
Ciaren Jones was on hand to defend a long through ball, and another Arsenal attack was ended prematurely. Then a speculative lob from Morrall very nearly added a second goal. Hitchin were showing a definite improvement from the Stotfold game. Ranson went down low to save the next shot from the left, and a fine effort came from the resulting corner, with the keeper, however, comfortable in the save.
After fifteen minutes there was a presumably scheduled drinks break, but the weather was free of the searing heat of the last few days. Hitchin pressure continued with smart work from Rio Deall that needed careful defending. Another home attack culminated in a header held by the keeper. A breakaway attack from the Gunners saw Max Dowman brought down and from the free kick the move was intercepted with Hitchin eager to attack again.
The hosts won a corner, that was beaten away, and there followed a good move thwarted cleanly by an Arsenal defender. Full credit to the Hitchin defence here as we had reached twenty- five minutes and there had not been a single goal chance for the the young Gunners.
Sears fouled Annous and following that free kick there was another, and yet another, this time in the edge of the eighteen yard box. The effort was well defended. Seeing Sears rob Annous reminded me that it was a case of men against boys, but much was expected of the full-timers to show what can come of intensive training.
There appeared to be a breakthrough for Arsenal but the offside flag put paid to that. Deall set up Forbes for a shot that was a passable effort.
Ranson held the next effort from a corner, and there was another of negligible quality. Forty minutes had been played and the contrast of Hitchin’s fine play in this game happily dismissed the mediocrity of the last outing.
The next Hitchin effort did find the net, but only that of the training goal, which caused some amusement. A fluid Arsenal move was spoilt by the heavy final pass. The last moments of the first half saw a Hitchin free kick on the edge of the area and this brought a fine save.
After the break we saw a fair effort from Kieron Forbes and some smart defending from Onyekachukwu, whose name looks unpronounceable but ought to be worth quite a bit at Scrabble. Franklin was set up for a shot, but he was way too high. There was a brief moment when Jhai Dhillon came on for Rio Deall, and his first bit of action very nearly brought a goal. He then had another chance which brought a corner and Sears had a searing shot that was held by Ranson.
The referee sensibly played the advantage in the best Arsenal move so far and this brought a fair shot from Marcaniak. Dreyer was denied a goal from a deft flick that brought a reaction save from Ranson. Morrall received a reprimand for blatant and two- handed shirt pulling and numerous young Gunners were being primed for substitution.
Arsenal were now quietly composing counter moves of expected quality and then on came the subs. Keane and Dhillon combined and the former’s shot was straight at the keeper. I made it seven Arsenal substitutions and three for Hitchin. Just as I wrote that Titchmarsh gave way to Lewis Barker. Kpakpe, who was not on the team sheet, had also entered the fray. It was hard for a fellow to keep up, you know.
A bit of excitement ensued after some good play from Dhillon saw him cross the ball supremely well and a shot from George Devine hit the junction of post and crossbar. The move deserved a goal. Then there was a decent chance for Arsenal at the other end, and a better one for Dowman who was thwarted by Callan. We were having an exciting final quarter of an hour.
A potentially damaging counterattack from Arsenal was nipped in the bud, and a bustling Hitchin attack went for a goal kick. It occurred to me that if the result was final it meant that Hitchin had lost one game through a fluke of a goal and replicated it today. I suppose it demonstrates that what goes around comes around.
There were just a few minutes left and these passed relatively free of meaningful action and so it ended one nil to the Hitchin town, to pinch the Arsenal chant.
It had been an enjoyable game and the attendance was a bumper 826, and such a figure could well be matched or exceeded with some of our home fixtures.
HITCHIN TOWN
James Callan, Lewis Franklin, Rio Deall, Jay Rolfe, Dan Sears, Ciaren Jones, Jack Dreyer, Kieron Forbes, Coree Wilson, George Morrall, GOAL, 1-0, 8 minutes, Harry Titchmarsh.
Substitutes- Toby Syme, Josh Keane, Jhai Dhillon, Liam Brooks, Lewis Barker, George Devine, Alex Kpapke.
ARSENAL U 18
Khari Ranson, Marli Salmon, Josh Ogunnaike, Samuel Onyekashukwu, Max Kuczynski, Teshaun Marisa, Daniel Oyetunde, Alex Marcaniak, Andre Annous, Max Dowman, Cedach O’Neill.
Substitutes- Abraham Gyasi, Robert Adams, Will Sweet, Zac Shuaib, Reece Clairmont, Bless Akolbire, Dan Casey, Louie Copley, Saurup Sampamg.
Referee – Mr L Grimesy, assisted by Mr P Draper and Ms L McGregor.
Attendance 826
REPORT BY PIPEMAN