Report
I always feel not just inclined, but impelled to couch my report in dithyrambic imagery since we are going to the town of our greatest author, Shakespeare, whose statue we passed en route. Then someone reminded me that we were actually in Tiddington, and in the evening again. Even so, it is good to see the hosts make the most of the association with the Bard. We once went there in daylight and the referee called the game off about a quarter of an hour before the scheduled kick-off, which engendered some less than poetic language.
It being Halloween, I suppose we should have expected one frights and spooky moments on the pitch with two teams whose form dips and rises. This failed to happen, unless we look at the untidy goal that eventually won the match. Whilst Hitchin were overcoming a gallant Sudbury on Saturday, our hosts tonight were at Cheshire where they had the misfortune to be eliminated on penalties against Nantwich Town.
Hitchin were unchanged from Saturday and clad in all purple they faced the home side whose retro Luton style kit is very smart. There was an eager start with the Bards obtaining the first corner after just two minutes. Hitchin dealt with this with a counter move that was offside. A further cross from the left was dangerously close to goal and was a real warning.
A good move presented the experienced Jack Storer was presented with a shot, but he was well off target. A Hitchin free kick from the halfway line fell harmlessly into the arms of Liam O’ Brien. A ponderous attempt at an attack from Hitchin saw them pressed back and a long ball over the top proved of little worth. Storer’s next effort was a tad closer, and he had a lot of time to pick his spot. He was then cautioned for a bad challenge.
The Bards were playing the better passing game at this stage, with Hitchin looking quite restrained. An attempt from Hitchin to play out from the back, very fashionable, but it resulted in a chance for the Bards that brought a corner.
Twenty minutes had yet to see a proper attempt on the Bards’ goal, and Idiakhoa’s dramatic fall in the box failed to impress the referee. The same official then cautioned a protesting Gleeson. Idiakhoa broke from defence in possession, ran forward and placed the ball into a vacant area.
There were a couple of minutes of intense home pressure which included a dismissed penalty appeal and Hitchin defended, still trying to obtain more possession and put some ideas into practice. Someone yelled out that Stratford were the better team, which may well have been the case at that moment, but they were not exactly peppering the Hitchin goal with shots.
Forty minutes had gone, and Barkers turned and shot wide. An abortive attempt vacant attack on the right for the Canaries as snuffed out by poor passing. This was repeated a minute later and Snelus tried the first shot, but it was well wide. Storer was fortunate to escape a second caution after he fouled Tearle, and the free kick was entirely wasted.
Snelus had a half chance but was bested by the keeper and we were into the time added on to this somewhat dour half. A late Hitchin move saw an effort from Cotter that was well wide.
The whistle was soon to follow and so does this quotation from “Othello”, – “O most lame and impotent conclusion.” I agreed with our secretary that it could only get better.
There was a half time substitution with Jack Snelus giving way to Arnold Matshazi, who was caught offside in his first attempt. I was beginning to think that a set piece might well have a say on the outcome of this game. A Gleeson free kick from the right was one of these and it did bring a shot from range from Tearle.
The Bards looked through in goal, but the flag was up promptly and there was some more painful ‘building from the back’. Bell, who had been quiet hitherto did manage a cross and Idiakhoa won a corner. It was the diagonal pass job and it failed to work. But at least there was a bit more aggression from Hitchin.
The best shot came when Wilkinson tried one and O ‘Brien saved well for a corner, which came to nothing. Idiakhoa had a decent shot that required a save and Gleeson sent in another corner. After a bit of head tennis, Cotter blasted his effort over the bar. Harvey replaced Storer for the Bards.
A corner for the hosts was greeted with a cheer, as yes, it was that kind of game, and it was defended resolutely. A chance for Hitchin brought them a corner and surely one would tell before too long.
What followed was a scrappy goal, timed at seventy minutes and the scene was so crowded the announcer as well as many of us did not know who had scored. But, to quote “Macbeth”, whoever was the scorer“I would applaud thee to the very echo, that should applaud again.” Applause can be held back since the Hitchin contingent credit the goal to Toby Syme, as did home reporters, but the Southern League website credits Kyle Tearle. I did not even see the ball go into the net and saw raised arms as if in appeal for a decision of some other kind.
It was a scrappy goal, and it came at a vital time.
Stratford responded without precision in their next attacks and no doubt felt aggrieved that they were behind. There was another substitute for the hosts when Wildbore replaced Barkers. This was corrected to O’Sullivan. If the omens were right, then Hitchin were on their way to an away win here as they did last season. They tend to do well on this ground, but there was still a good ten minutes to go.
There followed a bit of hit and hope for the hosts and ponderous goal kicks from Charlie Horlock. Hitchin wisely tried to dominate possession and created the odd chance. The last home substitute came on very late. – Daly for Vaughan.
The late rally was expected but passes were woefully over hit. Cotter had a real chance to put it all to bed but all he got was a corner from his wayward shot. Idiakhoa tried as well, and his effort was deflected George another corner. This was not the best effort, but Hitchin still had more of the possession in these critical closing minutes.
Gritty defending was also required as five additional minutes were added which no doubt gave heart to the hosts. Bradley Bell was cautioned for delaying his throw-in, but the ball was still in the opposition half. There was a late shot from Eubanks that was routine for Horlock. Then a flank attack from Hitchin won a free kick with about two minutes to go. These flashed by and with the whistle came the realisation that this might be He the third consecutive win at Stratford, and gives rise to the adapted quotation from ‘Henry V,’
‘As ‘this ever common
That men are merriest when they are (away) from home.
I wonder if that will apply to the forthcoming away match at Halesowen.
Reactions to this game were strangely mixed. The home chairman thought it was a fine game, but many others thought it a pretty grim example of a ground out win. A win is a win, of course and credit goes to the Hitchin team whose performance in the second half was greatly improved, no doubt after some stern words from Mark Burke. The first half had favoured the Bards, but they made little of their territorial advantage. Hitchin stuck grimly to their task and the second half was a lot better viewing from an away point of view.
This win restores Hitchin to third place, that had been occupied by our forthcoming opponents on Saturday. There are many of us who did not expect that, but it is welcome all the same.A clean sheet and a stout defensive display and a goal when it mattered. A glance at Fishponders statistics shows that Hitchin have been successful in the last four visits to Knights Lane, which is quite remarkable.
STRATFORD TOWN
Liam O’Brien, Lee Vaughan, (Liam Daly), Alex Worley, Christopher Hussey, Paul McCone, captain, Baba Solanke, Charlie Williams, Dylan Barkers, (Devonn O’Sullivan), Callum Ebanks, Daniel Laffterty, Jack Storer, cautioned, (Finn Harvey). Substitutes not used – Louis Beresford, GK,m and Jaylan Wildbore.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Captain, Bradley Bell, cautioned, KyeTearle, Toby Syme, GOAL, 70 MINUTES, 1-0, Ciaren Jones, Stan Georgiou, Kavan Cotter, Stephen Gleeson, cautioned, Dan Idiakhoa, Jack Snelus, (Arnold Matshazi), Finley Wilkinson.
Substitutes not used- Isaac Galliford, Temi Akinbusoye, John Freeman and Christopher Khoo.
Referee – Mr D Hinton, assisted by Mr D Patrick and Ms J Kings.
Attendance 323
REPORT BY PIPEMAN