Report
All the ingredients were there, a Hertfordshire derby, the FA Cup and both teams rebuilding after their respective relegations. Victories boost rebuilding and confidence. Hitchin were underdogs, which suited them, as they had defied that successfully before.
The match was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of former player Steve Hodge and the two men who died in the tragic accident that occurred in the environs of the club, and it was impeccably observed.
St Albans were in a changed strip of pink and lined up a flamboyance of flamingos. And they had their names on their shirts. There’s posh for you. The first shot of the afternoon came from Josh Coldicott- Stevens and it was a routine save for Magnus Norman. It was clearly combative and early tackles were uncompromising. The opening minutes saw Hitchin moving forward, especially along the left flank and a fine cross from Lewis Franklin was expertly defended and that expertise was needed.
Players probed, denied an opening by alert defenders. It looked promising for the hosts, but in their first attack after twelve minutes, Jasper Mather forced his way through, and Alfie Bonfield had it covered. Charlie Briggs sent in a decent forward pass that only just failed to connect. Perez-Duah received a similar ball but lost his footing under the close challenge. After sitting back for a quarter of an hour, the visitors began to make probes of their own. Hitchin coped and countered, let down by some passes where length was underestimated. The Saints, like Potters Bar are an Isthmian Premier Division side but showed more depth than their fellow club. Then, following two corners, Kye Tearle, in a defensive move collided with Lewis Page whose manoeuvre was designed to win a penalty but instead he was cautioned for the challenge. Both players needed treatment after the incident.
Sery, who had been a nuisance hitherto, battled his way through, shrugging off Ciaren Jones, but his shot found only the side netting. Saints’ supporters were beginning to make themselves heard, as did Canaries’ fans when George Morrall got one on target, but Norman saved.
We had reached the half hour, and the contest had been a even one. Smart delivered a clever cross that pinged about in the area until a healthy clearance from Jones. Kane was fouled in flight, and the instigator, Perez- Duah. We waited for the free kick whilst Kane had his brow mopped.
JCS sent it in and after some inconsequential play, Hitchin won successive corners, the second failing to reach Jones, but the attack was still alive, and after some head tennis Tearle’s shot was well wide. Jones sent a lob forward which Rhiney had no hope of reaching.
Then some pressure was exerted by the Saints with Sery again looking dangerous. A counter move from Hitchin was over elaborate and inconclusive. Long balls were employed here and there as the midfield yielded little. Tearle, receiving one of these long efforts sent in a decent cross that might have worked had Rhiney not fallen over.
Three minutes were tacked on and a Saints’ free kick caused momentary alarm but was cleared. Followed that there was an effort from Hitchin that might have secured the opening goal, but, alas, it was prevented.
The interval beckoned and I heard more than one spectator of a St Albans persuasion comment that Hitchin were a little unfortunate not to be a goal ahead in this tight game. Indeed, they resumed purposefully, and the free shot gained by Rhiney saw him shoot fiercely but inaccurately.
The punishment, so to speak was a dagger strike from the visitors, a clinical finish from Zane Banton in the fifty – fourth minute. It would be churlish to say it was undeserved as this was an example of setting up and completing a move with precision. Hitchin had produced similar chances but had lacked the finish. Now they responded with alacrity, but the play was wayward. It was an onerous task but there was the belief that one of the created opportunities would gain the appropriate reward.
My own view was that the Hitchin attack needed Alemanji. As it was the next foray gained a corner and eventually and a tame shot from Jones. Some were frustrated at the patient preparatory play or by the dogged resistance of the Saints’ defence. Then Alemanji did make an appearance at the expense of Kye Tearle, rather than Rhiney. Alemanji was on the end of a forward ball, but his header was ineffective.
The award of a free kick to St Albans was seen as a heinous crime as was the usual gamesmanship of subtle time wasting. More away substitutions followed and another failed forward move from Hitchin. A painfully elaborate Hitchin attack saw Alemanji make contact, set himself up and then make a gift of his effort to the goalkeeper.
Jones took a direct route with a hopeful lob, and this almost worked. The irony was that Hitchin were the better team in terms of attacking play, but the shortage of the clinical finish was uncomfortably apparent. There was a corner, the goalie punched clear and then gathered the following shot and the unwanted blank sheet was still there. So was the stubborn Saints defence that left little room for manoeuvre.
Alemanji won a corner, and players crowded the goal line, before a Saints head got in the way to clear the situation. Free kicks were conceded by disgruntled Hitchin players. Now we know that the Roy of the Rovers type script called for a dramatic last-minute equaliser, but the preference was for one a lot earlier. Home substitutes were made and Bomolo was added to the attack.
A free kick for the home side was enthusiastically greeted, and Gleeson’s effort won a corner, which was neatly headed away for a rare bit of counter play from the visitors who were determined to hold on to heir lead. Another free kick gave both opportunity and hope. Gleeson’s kick looked more like a shot as it went out of play without a touch from any player. Four minutes of stoppage time remained of this intriguing contest.
From a hoofed clearance Hitchin tried to construct something decent. Franklin tried a shot that was inadvertently blocked. The attendance announcement of 1181 was in huge contrast to the last meeting of the sides which was played at Clarence Park in front of just a few officials. It was 2021 and we were in the grip of Covid.
Then, the script amazingly to life with Hitchin awarded a penalty in the last minute of stoppage time. Would the team gain a third successive replay and win in the next meeting at St Albans? Taylor Rhiney stepped up to do the deed. He had not had a particularly good game, and a miss would see him consigned to perdition. He did not miss, and the crowded Fishponds Road end expressed jubilation and, to be fair, it was no more than Hitchin deserved. The relief was tangible, but there was a sting in the tail to come that hurt like an injection at school.
St Albans were given a free kick wide on the left, with supporters of the home side claiming that time was up. In went the kick and it was met splendidly by Jasper Mather, who after he had scored, ripped off his shirt, exposing a kind of black brassiere, and this kind of support is hugely fashionable today. The jubilant scorer was engulfed by ecstatic travelling fans. Great for them, but a heartbreak for Hitchin, who had played nobly and really deserved the replay, or maybe more.
It is a pity that the most dramatic moments were not restricted to the dying embers of this game that had been of great technical interest to some but lacked a bit of entertainment. The Saints trod carefully, showing full respect to their opponents and they had exploited moments of weakness.
I say with all sincerity that we can be very proud of the team and its gallant performance today. We need no reminder of further cup action to come when we face Biggleswade FC in the FA Trophy at Bedford Town on Friday evening.
Postscript. As I was leaving the clubhouse, I spoke briefly to defender Toby Syme. I told him that I thought we deserved at least a replay. Toby expressed his disagreement telling me that Hitchin should have won as they were the better side throughout. He added that some of our opponents had expressed the view that they were fortunate not to have lost.
Hitchin Town
Bonfield
Franklin
Kane (Sponsors MOTM)
Syme
Briggs
Jones (C)
Morrall
Coldicott-Stevens
Rhiney (Goal – penalty – 90+4 mins)
Tearle
Nicolson
Substitutes:
Bomolo (for Kane)
McDonald (for Morrall)
Gleeson (for Coldicott-Stevens)
Alemanji (for Tearle)
Joy, Heaps & Brooks were unused
St Albans City
Norman
James
Page
Fyfield
Smart
Scott
Wall
Banton (C) (Goal – 54 mins)
Perez-Duah
Mather (Goal – 90+5 mins)
Sery (Reporters MOTM)
Substitutes:
Bostwick (for Smart)
Smith (for Wall)
Dyer (for Perez-Duah)
Sippers (for Sery)
Ralfe, Gauthier and Boxer were unused.
Referee Mr M Rowling, assisted by Mr M Bright and Mr Poole. Fourth Official, Mr S Horn.
Attendance, 1,181.
Report by Pipeman