Hitchin's Cup Finals

[anthony.brown]

You can't win 'em all. After the successful revival of the Town club in 1928, the Canaries wasted no time collecting silverware.
Their first cup final win was played just 94 years ago today. Played on the Bedford Road ground on 30th March 1929 a crowd of 'over 2000' watched Hitchin beat their 'friends and neighbours' Letchworth Town by 5-3. Their next win was in the Hitchin Hospital Cup final on 4th May 1929, when they beat Shelvoke and Drewery 5-1. I've found match reports for both if anyone is interested.

[RST]

Always interested Anthony

[anthony.brown]

From the Beds and Herts Pictorial of Tuesday 2nd April 1929:

HERTS CHARITY SHIELD FINAL
Saturday 30th March 1929
HITCHIN TOWN 5 LETCHWORTH TOWN 3

A holiday crowd of over 2,000 on the Bedford Road ground witnessed a match full of thrills on Saturday, when HITCHIN TOWN and their friends and neighbours LETCHWORTH TOWN, met to decide the destination of the Herts Charity Shield. The homesters were the favourites by virtue of an 8-2 victory in the Senior Cup, but the visitors were at the top of their form, and sprang an early surprise, taking the lead after five minutes. The Canaries drew level, but the Bluebirds again went ahead, and led at the interval. On the resumption the homesters again drew level, the visitors having slackened their pace considerably, and then Hitchin took the lead. The rest of the match was the homesters', and shortly before the end they were three goals in front, but Letchworth reduced this lead by one. Thus Hitchin won the coveted trophy in the first year of the club's revival. It is the third time the Shield has found a resting place at Hitchin during the nine years it has been competed for. Hitchin Blue Cross winning in 1921-22 and 1922-23. Letchworth won it in 1923-24. To reach the final Hitchin beat Stevenage, Baldock, and Boreham Rovers, and Letchworth defeated Welwyn, Welwyn Garden City, and Bishops Stortford. As a result of the final £46 is being given to charity.
HITCHIN: S.Faulkner; B.Saggars (captain), R.G.Trussell; T.Cheshire, P.Crawley, G.Pateman; J.E.Davey, H.C.Evans, E.Bullard, A.Tasker, and W.Barker.
LETCHWORTH: G.Clark; F.Garwood, E.Hill; A.Parke, W.Ludwick, A.Cater (captain), H.Gray, E.Rusted, H.Walker, G.Simmons, and R.Dunkley.
Referee: Mr C.J.Dean (Watford)
Linesmen: Messrs J.Allen (Stevenage) and G.W.Adams (Welwyn)

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From the Beds and Herts Pictorial of Tuesday 7th May 1929:

HITCHIN HOSPITAL CUP
Saturday 4th May 1929
HITCHIN TOWN 5 SHELVOKE AND DREWERY S.C. 1

HITCHIN TOWN, on Saturday, brought a successful season to a close by winning the Hitchin Hospital Cup, defeating SHELVOKE & DREWERY S.C. (LETCHWORTH) in the final tie. This trophy was won by the Beds & District League team, who have not been in the limelight as much as the Spartan Leaguers, and have always occupied a humble position in their League, but are a sporty and persevering eleven. The teams were fairly equal in physique, but the homesters were cleverer in all departments. Further, the 'Canaries' received invaluable encouragement early in the game from a penalty goal. The game even more interesting than usual, owing to the fact that S&D last week won the Letchworth Hospital Cup, and this was probably one of the reasons for the attendance reaching 1,000. The sum of £21.4s., taken at the gate was handed to the Hitchin Hospital. Hitchin Town Band rendered selections before the game and during the interval, and collected 1.17s.9d. for the Hospital.
Cherry won the toss, but gave the visitors the advantage of the wind and slope in the first half. Hitchin set up an early offensive, and West missed by inches with a shot from the touchline after clever work with James. The Letchworth quintette attacked, and Howard was unlucky with a shot that hit the upright. Croft severely tested Olney with a fast shot; the custodian saved brilliantly, and was about to clear when he was fouled by McLeod. Trussell and Cherry settled down, and for some time kept the ball well out of the danger area. The halves were all playing sturdily, and Muncey, well fed by Pateman, started many dangerous attacks. In one of these the right winger put right across to West, who was going through when Atkins handled. Hitchin were awarded a penalty kick, and TRUSSELL made no mistake from the spot, Sherwood getting to the ball, but finding it too hot to hold.
Encouraged by this success, the home forwards were more dangerous, and after a movement with Muncey, WOMBWELL netted with a left-footer from close in. The Hitchin quintette again got through, West severely testing the Letchworth custodian, who saved well but failed to clear, and in the melee which followed Butt conceded a corner. From West's flag-kick Butterfield had hard luck with a shot from an awkward angle. Wombwell got through, and West missed by inches with a fast cross-shot.
VISITORS RALLY
Just before the interval the home forwards slackened somewhat, and the S&D attacks became more frequent. Wright was given numerous chances, but found Trussell more than his match. Half-time score: Hitchin Town 2 S.& D. (Letchworth) 0.
Letchworth opened the second moiety in promising fashion, and in the first minute Olney did well to save and clear when hard pressed by Howard and Croft. Cherry found Brothers and McCleod a dangerous combination but, with the help of Pateman,who was as efficient in defence as attack, kept them at bay. Crawley, who was playing an excellent game at centre-half, put the ball through to Wombwell, who became dangerous but was injured; West however, carried on and forced a corner. Muncey was playing finely on the wing, and several times narrowly missed scoring with drop-kicks. Sherwood made a brilliant save from Wombwell, who put in a strong shot, after receiving at close range from Butterfield, who had brought through with Muncey. A little later Muncey was hurt, and had to be carried off, but returned to the field after attention. During his absence BUTTERFIELD netted with a shot off the post. Hitchin continued to press, and had very hard luck in a sustained goal-line melee, Atkins putting the ball behind when a goal seemed inevitable. MUNCEY took the flag-kick, and performed that very difficult feat of putting the ball in the net direct from the corner. After the re-start Crawley put a long pass through to West, and Butt saved a dangerous-looking situation by conceding a corner. From West's corner Wombwell was unlucky not to score with an overhead kick. The visitors now became more aggressive, and the inside forwards got through to close in after Cherry had miskicked, and in a short goal-line struggle HOWARD netted the S&D's solitary goal. For some time the Letchworth quintette continued on the offensive, but after Olney had cleared a dangerous solo attack by Croft, play was transferred. Crawley put in a long rising shot that hit under the bar, bounced down, apparently well over the goal line and out; a melee followed, but the backs cleared. In the following attack Butterfield headed into the goalmouth, West putting the ball well over the line, and one of the defenders pulled the leather out of the net with his hands. The referee awarded Hitchin a penalty kick, and CHERRY netted with a low shot. Hitchin continued on the offensive to the end, but there was no further scoring.
THE PRESENTATION
After the game a large crowd gathered round the stand to see the presentation.
Mr W.L.Overton, secretary of the North Herts F.A., said that the match had been a fitting climax to a very successful season. He thanked the spectators for their admirable support, of which, they all knew, the cause was worthy.
Mr G.E.Spurr, before presenting the Hitchin Hospital Cup to Cherry, the Hitchin captain, and the medals to the winners and runners-up, thanked the club for inviting him to see the splendid game, which he had greatly enjoyed witnessing, he heartily congratulated Hitchin on their win, and said they were fitting holders of Hitchin's Hospital Cup, as the S.& D. had been of Letchworth's corresponding trophy.
Cherry congratulated the losers on their splendid fight, but was of the opinion that Hitchin deserved their win.
Mr A.E.Lloyd proposed, and Mr F.Foster seconded, a vote of thanks to Mr Spurr.
HITCHIN TOWN: T.Olney; V.Cherry (captain), R.G.Trussell; G.Pateman, P.Crawley, E.James; J.Muncey, G.Butterfield, H.Wombwell, H.Handscome, T.J.West.
S.& D. LETCHWORTH: T.Sherwood; C.Atkins, F.W.Porter; P.Butt, L.J.Hart (captain), S.W.Walker, P.Wright, W.Howard, G.Croft, S.McCleod, A.R.Brothers.
Referee: Mr G.W.Adams.

I have not found the reports of Hitchin's third cup final win. On 18th April 1931 Hitchin drew 0-0 with Leavesden Mental Hospital in the Herts Senior Cup Final, played at St Albans. Hitchin won the replay on 30th April 1931 at Letchworth by 3-0. See Fishponder Stats for line-ups etc.

[anthony.brown]

On 7th May 1932, 91 years ago today, Hitchin Town FC won their fourth cup final, and perhaps their only national trophy (?), when they beat Derbyshire Amateurs 6-0 in the replay of the Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup at Dulwich Hamlet. They had drawn the first match 2-2, also at Dulwich Hamlet.
I have the match reports of both games if anyone is interested.

[MichaelD]

Yes, please

[anthony.brown]

THRILLS IN THE A.F.A. CUP FINAL
AFTER EXTRA TIME, HITCHIN ONLY DRAW IN A GAME THEY SHOULD HAVE WON - By Crusader.
Hitchin Town 2 Derbyshire Amateurs 2
The A.F.A. Cup Finals always produce a rousing game, and Saturday's match at Dulwich was no exception to the rule. Both teams played fast and clever football, and although extra time was played neither side could claim a scoring advantage and the match will be replayed next Saturday. I thought Hitchin were a trifle unlucky not to win. They settled down splendidly from the start, and in the first half, and for half an hour after the resumption had by far the better of the exchanges. Then for some inexplicable reason they fell to pieces, and the North Midlanders took control of the game. They certainly looked as though they were going to pull off what would have been an undeserved victory, but the Hitchin defence held out.
The teams played entirely different types of football. The Derbyshire Amateurs were all clever individualists. This was particularly noticeable in the attack, where Blair, Blackton, and Bowmer often baffled the Hitchin defence with their clever touches and quick passes. Their finishing, however, was bad. The Herts side relied on their team work and Furr's long passes to his wingers always kept the game open.
Armitage scored for Hitchin after 12 minutes' play, after a shot by Furr had hit the upright, and it was not until 25 minutes after the resumption that Blair headed the equaliser from a fine centre by Bowmer. Ten minutes later Cannon was injured in a collision with Blair - a perfectly fair charge - and was carried off with slight concussion just before the period of extra time was played. He did not return until 15 minutes from the end. During his absence Pateman went into goal and brought the house down with one great one-handed save from Blair. Armitage put Hitchin in front two minutes from the start of extra time, netting from a corner taken by Izzard; but Blair again brought the scores level when he converted a penalty for hands against Burden.
Blair, a thoughtful leader, and Blackton and Bowmer, who formed a splendid right wing, were the pick of the Amateurs' attack, while Whittaker stood out in defence. Izzard, the Army forward, was perhaps the finest player on view, and nearly won the game for Hitchin with a great drive towards the close. The Hitchin halves were the strong link in the team.
Derbyshire Amateurs: W.J.Aird; J.B.Whittaker, L.Robinson; C.R.Payne, P.G.Miller, E.B.Ennals; H.E.Bowmer, W.R.Blackton, J.E.Blair, L.C.Thornton, H.Payne.
Hitchin: C.R.Cannon; J.C.Brown, S.F.Duller; S.W.Burden, R.Furr, G.Pateman; W.C.Izzard, J.Walker, A.E.Armitage, A.Tasker, R.Dunkley.
Daily News (London) Monday 2nd May 1932

A.F.A. CUP FINAL REPLAY
AMATEURS' HEAVY DEFEAT
A TIRED TEAM
Variations and uncertainty in football form may have helped to make the game what it is today, but few could have been prepared for the complete reversal which attended Derbyshire Amateurs' replayed A.F.A. Cup Final with Hitchin Town, on Dulwich Hamlet's beautiful ground on Saturday. The reason is not far to seek, but a 6-0 defeat takes a great deal of explaining away, especially when they had drawn the previous week.
At the start we made it clear that the Amateurs were well and truly beaten by a team which, at times, played well with the air and confidence of a professional eleven. Without wishing to make excuses for the Amateurs, I should also like to point out that Saturday's game was the Derbyshire club's third ina week, so there is every reason for saying that there were periods when they appeared to be leg weary.
Perhaps next season the A.F.A. will make efforts to have the final played a few weeks before the last day of the season, a procedure which would give clubs a fair chance of completing their own local games.
However, I cannot altogether blame this for the Amateurs' heavy defeat. There were two contributory factors which were very noticeable at all.
In the first instance Amateurs' defenders took a good time to settle down, simply because Miller was off form at centre-half and allowed Armitage, always a dangerous leader, a lot of scope. There was invariably a clear way down the middle, and Farquhar and Whittaker, who played a strong game, were saddled with the responsibility of keeping a close watch on two real live wingers in Izzard and Lynch, in addition to having to close up the avenue in the centre. Consequently Hitchin got three goals in the first 30 minutes - all by Armitage - which might easily have been avoided. Miller certainly improved a little as the game went on, but he was never at his best.
ARMITAGE SUBDUED
Another very noticeable shortcoming was in the second half, when, I thought, the Amateurs were easily on top from a territorial point of view. Unfortunately, they lacked a marksman. Time and again nice openings were made, but Blackton, Blair and Thornton, although very often well placed, were unable to locate the net. Thornton went near to getting a consolation goal in the last minute, but Cannon, who had made several good saves, managed to keep his goal intact.
Whittaker and Farquhar were seen at their best in the second half, and it was chiefly due to the former's clever anticipation that Armitage was kept quiet. True, he got another goal, but he was not nearly as dangerous as in the first half.
The Derby wing halves, C.B.Payne and Ennals, established a much better connecting link with the forwards after the interval, and they helped considerably in developing the numerous attacks which the Amateurs launched.
Bowmer was found little employment on the right wing, but R.Payne, usually a match winner, appeared to have struck a bad patch, and I thought the Amateurs would have benefited had they played on to the right wing more.
CLASS TEAM
Hitchin, as I have already said, played some class football, but they were hard pressed after the interval.
Armitage, who got four of the goals, was, without doubt, a fine centre-forward, but he should never have been allowed the liberty he had in the first half. He and Izzard were a dangerous pair, and in addition to scoring one of the goals, he [Izzard] was largely responsible for the others. His centres were exceptionally accurate, and on three occasions the centre-forward had little to do but tap the ball out of the reach of Aird.
The winners were well served at centre half-back by Furr, who allowed Blair very little room in which to operate, and kept his forwards well plied with ground passes which invariably found their man. Duller and Brown gave little away in defense, although they were repeatedly at sixes and sevens in the second half. Tasker got their sixth goal, and Walker was conspicuous with some fine sweeping passes.
Poor old George!
C.G.
Derby Daily Telegraph Monday 9th May 1932

[anthony.brown]

Just one week after winning the A.F.A. Senior Cup, Hitchin Town FC won the Hertfordshire Senior Cup, a 5-1 win against Apsley at Clarence Park, St Albans.

The Biggleswade Chronicle of Friday 27th May 1932 reported:
HITCHIN F.C. CELEBRATIONS
"The Romance of Hitchin". This was how Mr Tom Wooding, chairman of Hitchin Town Football Club, described the rise of the Town team to amateur football fame during the first team's 'parade' on the Hermitage Cinema platform, Hitchin, on Wednesday night.
The Club gladly accepted the invitation of the directors and manager to the second performance on this occasion, and prior to it the A.F.A. Senior Cup and the County Challenge Cup were displayed to a delighted audience, and the members of the winning team had their qualities as players and sportsmen fittingly described.

(In Hitchin Town FC's first 12 seasons (from 1928/29) the Club won 11 cup finals and lost 3. Herts Senior Cup W4 L1. Hitchin Hospital Cup W1. Herts Charity Shield W2. AFA Senior Cup W1. Herts Charity Cup W2 L2. DC Cup W1.)

To be continued....

[anthony.brown]

The Dunkles Cup Final, a challenge match between the Spartan League Premier Division winners (Hitchin) and the Division 1 winners (Jurgens) played at Hitchin on 11th May 1935.

JUBILEE MATCH
CHAMPIONS MEET AND BEAT JURGENS
ARMITAGE'S FAREWELL HAT-TRICK
HITCHIN 4 JURGENS (OF PURFLEET) 3
Champions met champions on the Top Field, Hitchin, last Saturday, when Hitchin met Jurgens, of Purfleet, the winners of Division 1 of the Spartan League, and defeated them by the odd goal in seven... It was a champion match in all respects... Lots of good football... Played in admirable spirit, and splendidly refereed... Moreover, popular Eddie Armitage, Hitchin's veteran centre-forward made a triumphant exit from the playing field by recording a hat-trick... Both he and Cannon (also retiring) had a memorable 'curtain' to their distinguished careers.
Jurgens, who have now won the championship of the Second and First Divisions of the League in successive seasons and emulated the performance of Hoxton Manor in rising to the most exalted sphere after only two seasons' membership, gave a taste of their quality early in the game, but Hitchin gradually got on top through their more penetrative work forward, and well deserved their lead of two goals at the interval, Armitage being the scorer on each occasion.
Twenty minutes into the second half, Armitage, who previously had bad luck with a beautiful header which hit the post, got clean through, and completed his hat-trick with a splendidly placed left-foot shot.
HITCHIN EASE UP AND CONCEDE TWO GOALS
The Hitchin defence, which up to this point had kept the ball well clear of their goalkeeper, except for one exciting incident, when, from a free-kick for hands against Fraser, Adams cleared off the line with Cannon beaten, seemed to ease up, and Worrall and Barrs reduced the lead to a single goal. Jim Walker beat Bridges again almost immediately with a long high shot, and although Ballard succeeded in netting a third goal for the visitors, they were unable to save the game.
While Jurgens did enough to suggest that they will easily hold their own in the Premier Division next season, I thought that, had something vital been at stake, Hitchin would never have surrendered three goals to them. The Canaries' four goals were the outcome of definite purposeful attacks, whereas at least two of Jurgens' goals had an element of luck about them, and might have been prevented if the home backs had not been understandably loath to tackle strongly (as we know they are capable of tackling).
King George's Silver Jubilee Trust will benefit to the extent of £45 as the result of this challenge match.

Hitchin: C.R.M.Cannon; W.E.Fraser and G.T.Adams; S.W.F.Burden, P.E.Chamberlain and W.R.Odell; J.Walker, C.J.Walker, A.E.Armitage, L.Clarke and J.C.R.Smith.
Jurgens: C.Bridges; T.Walton and T.Carroll; F.Brown, H.Williams and H.Boatman; K.Worrall, T.Clark, W.Ballard, R.Bunney and J.Barrs.

Hertfordshire Express Saturday 18th May 1935

[anthony.brown]

While the forum is quiet, I thought I'd sneak in Hitchin Town FC's next final, which ended in a narrow defeat.

Herts Charity Cup Final
BARNET'S FINE RECORD
Seventh Successive Charity Cup Win
VAIN RECOVERY BY HITCHIN
BARNET 3 HITCHIN 2

By beating Hitchin 3-2 in the final of the Herts Charity Cup on Saturday, Barnet set up a new record in the competition, this being their seventh successive victory. Previously they were on terms of equality with St Albans, who at one time held the trophy for six seasons running. Enjoying the advantage of playing on their own ground, which has its peculiarities, the Athenian League club deserved their victory on this occasion, but Hitchin made a great recovery after being two goals down at the interval, and had not bad luck dogged them so persistently might easily have reversed the result.
HITCHIN'S DISALLOWED GOAL
Forced to take the field without their captain and star player, Phil Chamberlain, Hitchin tackled their task with such fine spirit at the start that they succeeded in putting the ball into the Barnet net inside two minutes. Haynes swung across a fine centre, and Broadbent, dashing up at top speed breasted the ball past Lumb. To me it seemed a perfectly good goal, but Referee J.Bransham gave instead a free-kick for hands. (After the match Broadbent reaffirmed my own view that the ball did not strike any part of his arm). Had this goal been hall-marked it might have had a vital bearing on the result. It certainly took the Hitchin fellows some time to shake off their feelings of disappointment, and their play suffered. But the visitors' misfortunes did not stop there. They had known, before they took the field, that the man most to be feared on the other side was centre-forward Arthur Morris, who on the previous Thursday against Finchley, had registered his 400th goal for Barnet - a wonderful record of club loyalty and shooting skill. With 53 goals already to his credit this season, Morris was no fewer than 41 goals ahead of the second top goal scorer, Lester Finch, the English amateur international winger. Bland knew that he had a 'policemanning' job to do, and for the first quarter of an hour he did it well, frequently intercepting passes intended for the centre-forward. Then Hitchin's pivot contracted a muscle injury of so painful a nature that he could not raise a gallop for the rest of the match, and in the second half had to go on the right wing.
HAT-TRICK BY MORRIS
The sequel to this additional piece of bad luck was a disorganised defence, and the further sequel a hat-trick by the opportunistic Morris.
The first goal came from a right wing centre which was too far out for Fisher to reach before the centre-forward got his head to the ball. This was in the 24th minute, and four minutes later two bad defensive lapses let Morris through with the goal at his mercy. He was unmerciful!
With a two goal lead, Barnet began the second half in confident style, and there were claims for a goal when Morris turned the ball against the post with a brilliant overhead kick, but the referee quite rightly allowed play to proceed.
Although they had to re-shuffle their side - Bland going outside-right, Broadbent right-half, and Parsell center-half - Hitchin reduced the lead after 17 minutes. Albone slipped a lovely pass through to Haynes, and the winger, after appearing to take the ball too far, flashed it across from the acutest of angles into the far side of the net.
This was the start of a Hitchin revival, Lumb going full length to dispose of a free-kick taken by Adams, and Bland skimming the crossbar with a fine header. Sixteen minutes from the end Murphy equalised from the penalty spot, after Cooper had foolishly handled to prevent Haynes obtaining possession, and with Barnet obviously rattled and also tired from their mid-week game, visions of a Hitchin victory began to loom up. They might have materialised, too, if Clarke, when excellently placed, had driven in a shot instead of too unselfishly passing. Murphy finished off what had looked like a goal-scoring attack by blazing hard over. With only eight minutes to go, Barnet forced another corner, and Westwood, in attempting to head clear, put the ball at the feet of Morris, who gratefully slammed it home for the winning goal.
Although the game was by no means a great one, it unquestionably 'had its moments', and on the whole was sportingly contested, although Albone and Wade seemed to develop a little feud.
Hitchin had little with which to reproach themselves. Like Barnet, they were very leg-weary, but they carried out some very nice passing movements at times.
WILL MURPHY TURN PRO?
The main instigator of these flashes of combination was Murphy. I understand that a scout of the Watford Club was watching the Hitchin inside-left with a view to getting him to join C.J.Walker as a pro. If so, he must have been impressed with this display. Murphy was always puzzling the Barnet defenders with his feinting and ball-jugglery, and the amount of fetching and carrying work that he put in was prodigious. I thought he was the best forward on the field, not even excepting Morris!
The other forwards also did well with the exception of Haynes, who seems quite out of touch these days. Innumerable attacks broke down in the first half through weakness in this position. Bland did well until his injury, and Parsell, after a disappointing start was a really useful emergency centre-half. Westwood was opposed to Miller, a player who is a little inferior to Finch, whose injury on the previous Thursday kept him out of the side, but the youngster proved a fine 'stopping' half. If he will only polish up his constructive play, he will be an asset to Hitchin next season. The backs were good, but not so brilliant as I have seen them. Fisher was limping even before the game started, and his magnificent display between the sticks received full recognition from the crowd, who gave him an ovation all to himself as he went up to receive his medal from Miss Scarborough, the chairman of the Barnet Urban District Council, who presented the trophy.
Barnet: W.Lumb; J.Cooper and M.Wade; L.Gray, J.McCarthy, and W.Martin; A.Green, J.Braithwaite, A.Morris, A.Grieve, and J.Miller.
Hitchin: J.Fisher; W.E.Fraser and G.T.Adams; W.Westwood, L.H.Bland, and A.E.Parsell; E.C.Broadbent, R.Murphy, R.Albone, L.Clarke, and H.Haynes.

By "Soccerates"
Hertfordshire Express Saturday 16th May 1936