Report
This specially arranged friendly was seen as one that could benefit our beleaguered team, who could improve their game against fledgling professional opposition, as they did against a similar Watford team. This was achieved by a fairly comfortable margin, and they made a full contribution to an entertaining game that provided plenty of goals.
Of special interest to Hitchin supporters was the inclusion of Ashley Hay in the Brentford B starting eleven. Our Luton loan duo has presumably returned home after their short spell, as they were not included in the squad or the substitutes’ list. Dan Emovon was back from injury and John Freeman made a start. I was later told that Bateson was injured and that he and Lynch, the Luton duo are to be with us until the end of the season, which is good news.
And what a start it was – for the visitors, who showed pace and skill. We noticed that one Brentford player went to his knees before the game and had a quiet prayer. Perhaps our chaps should follow that example, whatever their religious persuasion.
The first goal came after a brief melee in the penalty area was scored by Jil Soo Kim with a crisp shot after five and a half minutes. Wilkinson’s chance at the other end minutes later almost made amends. Cotter’s free kick looked interesting until the referee awarded a free kick to the Bees.
The London club were playing some stylish stuff that was good to see. Even so, Hitchin were playing with good intent and to some purpose but faced a very organised defence. Syme set up a chance with a delightful pass, but Angelina in the Brentford goal was equal to it, and Emovon was given a marginal offside in the next foray.
This was already a better game than Saturday’s dismal showing at Sudbury. The second goal for the busy Bees came after twenty- five minutes and was scored, according to the announcer was Jil Soo Kim. The score reflected the difference between the sides.
Brierly blotted his copy book with a cynical foul and was reprimanded, and the free kick saw the wall including the bloke who takes up the supine position behind the wall. I thought that this manoeuvre had gone out of fashion. The effort was well held by Angelini, but in the next attack there was a delightful by Finley Wilkinson in the thirty- second minute. It was a well constructed goal and one that Finley enjoyed immensely.
Galliford replaced Freeman with five minutes of the half remaining. It had been a gutsy performance from Hitchin who were still in this game and it had been an entertaining one to watch.
The second half saw a purposeful beginning from the visitors who had a couple of early attempts, but Hitchin defending was generally sound. We had to wait a while for a purposeful Hitchin attack. Horlock’s clearance eventually came to Bell and then Cotter, who had a reasonable shot saved. Then Tearle’s deflected effort pinged the crossbar. He did this in a recent match, as I recall.
A corner for the hosts followed and so did an infringement. There was also a further free kick further up the field and I noticed the referee had some shaving foam to mark where the kick was to be taken. This could start a trend. This was beaten down and Eadie was unlucky not to draw the sides level with his shot. It was a notable save from Angelini.
But then Brentford scored a breakaway goal after sixty- seven minutes with Iwan Morgan evading Horlock’s challenge to put the ball into the empty net to make it 3-1 to the visitors, who were good value for money.
Minutes later the Bees skipper made it 4-1 with a deflected shot just outside the area. It was good to see Lewis Barker come on as a substitute. We have missed him and his no-nonsense style of football. Welcome back, LB.
The Bees employed a number of substitutes who had some rather fanciful names which is now the rule rather than the exception. Have a look and you will see that we had an angel in our midst. Barker defended a corner with a header, but the Bees still got forward and Syme defended a good shot from substitute Dickov, and I wondered if he was related to the former Arsenal and Luton player of the same surname.
Frankie Webster, making his Hitchin debut came in just before Brentford ought to have scored a fifth with the ball rustling the side netting. Hitchin gamely fought on, creating reasonable chances, foiled by measured defending, but this had been a good work out against stylish opponents.
For the latter stages of the half, Hitchin used goalkeeper Gurjosh Dhesi, who used the time well. The game concluded with a not too depressing 4-1 defeat, and we all felt the team had performed reasonably well, with an all-round improvement.
So now we look forward to the Roy Izzard Testimonial on Friday night.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, captain, Kye Tearle, Alex Kpapke, Toby Syme, Ciaren Jones, Stan Georgiou, Bradley Bell, Kavan Cotter, Dan Emovon, John Freeman, Finley Wilkinson, GOAL, 32 minutes, (2-1). Substitutes used- Gurjosh Dhesi, GK, Layne Eadie, Isaac Galliford, Lewis Barker, Frankie Webster, Chris Khoo. Not used- Stephen Gleeson.
Brentford B
Vincent Angelini, Val Adedokun, captain, GOAL, 72 minutes, (4-1), Daniel Oyogoke, Jil Soo Kim, GOAL, (1-0), 5 minutes, GOAL (2-0), 24 minutes, Erion Zabell, Ashley Hay, Ethan Brierly, Iwan Morgan, GOAL, (3-1), 67 minutes, Riley Owen, Mukhammadali Urinboev, Ethan Laidlaw. Substitutes used – Max Dickov, Tony Yogane, Not used – Angel Wariuh, Beaux Booth, Kyreece Lidbie, Chanse Headman.
Referee Mr L Grimesy assisted by Mr C Geelan and Mr T Cartwright.
Attendance 272
REPORT BY PIPEMAN