WEEKLY BULLETIN – 12TH APRIL
FIXTURE
- Saturday 13th April Home to Halesowen Town League kick-off 3.00pm. We advise you to buy your tickets online but tickets can be purchased (card payments only) from the club ticket office which will be open from 13.30 to 15.15.
- There is no midweek fixture.
MANAGER’S NOTES BY BRETT DONNELLY
After the elation of winning a football match the previous Monday, Saturday at Leiston brought us back to earth with a bump. It was the first time since I was in charge that I had seen the issues with the squad that had seen them plummet down the league. I didn’t see Saturday’s performance coming at all. We were awful and it was unacceptable and this was a point I put across Monday at training.
People may not be used to my ways. I call a spade a spade, and I have held back a little so far as I try to navigate the squad and work out how the land lies. It is something I will be doing in these weekly bulletins as well. The lads are now well aware of what I expect as a minimum on a matchday. Against Leiston we fell well short of what I expect a team to perform at. We lacked fight, determination, a will to win. Something I can try and install but ultimately it comes from the player himself. How much do you want to win this game? How much do you want to avoid relegation? It’s not something I have on my CV and it’s not something I particularly want on it. It is up to those 20 boys to scrap their way out of trouble.
Can we do it? Of course we can, I saw enough in the first 3 games, but if we perform like we did Saturday we are in trouble.
Halesowen is a tough game. They are direct and physically they will try to impose themselves on us. We need to be switched on defensively, more creative in possession in midfield and clinical up top. Easy isn’t it!!!!
Most importantly we need the crowd to come back in again and gives us some huge vocal support. It makes a difference believe me. Hope to see you all Saturday.
Brett Donnelly
HERTS SENIOR CUP FINAL AT HITCHIN
On Tuesday we hosted the Herts Senior Cup final between St Albans and Berkhamsted. It was a very entertaining game which St Albans won 4-2. There were 442 paying spectators and with the various officials and guests well over 500 were at Top Field. There were a number of complimentary remarks made about how good the pitch was and Steve Barker and his team deserve all the plaudits they received. The Herts FA have sent us an email complimenting us on the organisation of the final and we thank our volunteers who as ever were great ambassadors for the club.
MESSAGE FOR SUPPORTERS
We are in a three way fight to avoid the final relegation spot with AFC Sudbury and Bromsgrove Sporting. Bromsgrove have 41 points, Hitchin 38 and AFC Stamford 34 so we may need 6 points from the last three games to remain safe.
Bromsgrove host AFC Sudbury on Saturday, then travel to Stratford before finishing at home to Barwell. Sudbury host Long Eaton after the Bromsgrove game and travel to Leamington in their final game. We host Halesowen before going to Stamford and we finish at home to Stourbridge.
We need the support of our incredibly loyal supporters like never before and we urge you to come to Top Field on Saturday for what is a vital game and one that will help to decide our future. Let us get behind the team and cheer them to a much needed victory. Halesowen will be well supported so we need to ensure we make Top Field an intimidating stadium on Saturday.
MERCHANDISE REMINDER
Please visit the club shop on Saturday as there is only one more home game to come. There is a great selection of merchandise and you can also buy the match programme and team sheet as well as sweets and chocolate. Various price reductions have been implemented on the clothing items. There is also a large selection of old programmes and football books. If you cannot get to a game please visit the online club shop.
HTWFC UPDATE BY CALLUM ELLIS
So as the season starts to draw to a close we start focussing on what is starting to become a truly exciting relegation battle. It has not been ideal that both of our teams have been competing in the same league but never mind, we move on. Our First Team have had a very stop start season, they sit above Watton in the table and the only thing separating them is goal difference. We will be eagerly watching Watton Ladies in their last two remaining fixtures to see how our First Team are affected.
Our Canaries have been improving week in and week out, grinding out some good results but also performing to a high standard. This team was newly built this season with some players never playing before and some just returning. They are still in the running for safety requiring eleven points from four matches and will be hoping the First team can win consecutively against Buntingford.
We have recently seen the launch of the Top Field Rainbows. As many of our members of our women’s set up are apart of the LGBTQ+ community we love to see such a progressive non-league club.
Get in touch with katiespride3@gmail.com
- Sunday 14th April 2024 – 14:00
HTWFC Firsts v Buntingford Ladies: St Christophers School, Barrington Road, Letchworth Garden City
Real Bedford v HTWFC Canaries: Kempston Rovers FC, Hillsground Road, Kempston
- Wednesday 17th April 2024 – 19:30
HTWFC Canaries v HTWFC Firsts: Top Field, Fishponds Road, Hitchin
Recruitment
As we enter the closing stages of the season, I am already starting progressing the 2024/2025 season. We have plenty of voluntary opportunities available at HTWFC so please click on https://www.hitchintownwomenfc.co.uk/clubinfo/Vacancies
ACADEMY UPDATE
As this was the second week of the Easter holiday there is no report again this week.
BY ROY IZZARD