WEEKLY BULLETIN – 22ND NOV
FIXTURES
- Saturday 23 November home to Nuneaton league kick-off 3.00pm.
- Monday 25 November home to Welwyn Garden City Herts Senior cup kick-off 7.45pm.
Prices for the Welwyn game have been reduced. On the evening at the turnstiles adults will pay £6, concessions £4 and teenagers £2. Online it is even cheaper as adults will pay £5, concessions £3 and teenagers £1.
FIXTURE NEWS
The away game with Peterborough Sports has been rearranged for Tuesday 21 January kick-off 7.45pm.
The winners of our Herts Senior Cup game with Welwyn Garden City on Monday will be away to Leverstock Green in the second round.
PLAYER NEWS
Charlie Horlock will miss the game with Nuneaton on Saturday as he is serving a one game suspension for his red card at Redditch.
We have applied for international clearance for Kai Phelan, a 19 year old central defender who has been playing in Sweden.
There are no injury doubts for Saturday other than long term casualties Harry Draper and Layne Eadie.
1980’S REUNION
A reminder that on Saturday 30 November we are inviting any ex player or official who was associated with the club in the 1980’s to attend our game with Barwell. A number of ex players have already agreed to attend and if you are interested in coming along please drop me an email at roy.izzard@outlook.com.
HITCHIN TOWN UNDER 19’S
Last Friday the academy side drew 2-2 with Boreham Wood at the Arena. The Boreham Wood team were managed by none other than ex Canary Kane Smith.
On Wednesday they drew 3-3 with Dartford at the Arena.
Next Wednesday they are at home to Bishops Stortford at the Arena kick-off 12.30pm..
HITCHIN TOWN LADIES FC WITH CALLUM ELLIS
The Hitchin Town Ladies Reserves took on Harvesters at Ickleford last Sunday in the rematch of the first game of the season. They were looking to build on a fine win last week but Harvesters took an early lead before an April Spang double gave the hosts a deserved 2-1 lead at half time.
In the second half Hitchin built on their dominance and Megan White Benton’s shot looked to have clearly crossed the line. However the referee deemed this not to be a goal, Ellie Colyer’s effort from 25 yards was also spilt by the goalkeeper and she could do nothing to stop this attempt crossing the line, making the score line 3-1. This was a well contested match resulting in Hitchin beating a side with an impressive 100% record this season.
Hitchin Town Ladies First Team return to league action this Sunday away against current Division One Champions Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies FC at Vauxhall Road. 14:00 kick- off.
Hitchin Town Ladies Reserves are at home to Flitwick Ladies in Division Three at Ickleford 14:00 kick- off.
EJA TEAM NEWS WITH NICK CARR
Last Friday night saw our U14 and U15s both in EJA Midweek Cup action with the U14s going down 3-1 to Cheshunt Youth with Stanley Howell scoring our goal, whilst the U15s came back from Bowers & Pitsea having beaten a very strong home side 4-3 with a Lavel Davis-Thomas hatrick and a solo goal from Ryan Samupita.
On Sunday, the U14s were again on the wrong end of a 3-1 score line, this time it was Godmanchester Town who took the spoils in a league encounter with Rafael Miles on the scoresheet for us.
The U18s also lost on Sunday when entertaining league leaders St. Albans City who ran out 4-2 winners, Shaun Dowler was our only scorer, grabbing a brace.
The U17s however, maintained their unbeaten league run with a 4-0 away win at Braintree Town to consolidate their position at the top of the league with an Ajay Lidder hatrick and Ashley Hay netting the other.
Three of our teams are at home on Sunday with two of them at the Arena, Baldock. The U15s entertain Cheshunt Youth at 10:30am, and will be followed by the U17s who take on Barkingside Youth at 2:00pm, both are league matches.
The U14s also take on a team from Barkingside Youth, this time in the Treasurers Cup at 11:00am at North Herts College.
Finally, the U18s travel to Newport Pagnell Town for a league fixture, kicking off at 2:00pm.
BRETT’S BLOG
Look out over the weekend for the next instalment of the ever popular Brett’s Blog. I have just finished editing it and Brett concentrates on the changes in our playing squad since the start of the season in his own unique style.
MANAGER’S NOTES WITH MARK BURKE
REDDITCH
I was delighted with the start we made on Saturday. We were immediately on the front foot and raced in to a two goal lead with two excellent finishes from Alex Marsh. I felt we were in control of the match and defended well when we had to. Redditch are a young side who I think will cause problems to other sides if they can take the lead.
The pivotal moment of the game came when Charlie Horlock made a great save with 20 minutes to go. Had Redditch scored at this stage it could have been an uncomfortable end to the game. We were unlucky not to increase our lead when Dan Webb’s header hit the bar and the inside of the post. The only blemish on the afternoon was when an under hit back pass saw a Redditch forward get on the end of it forcing Charlie to make a good save that unfortunately was outside the box and resulted in a red card.
NUNEATON
We face an in form Nuneaton on Saturday and they are currently fifth in the league table. Nuneaton have familiar faces in their management team and playing squad from our time in the Southern League. They are a very experienced team with players who are used to success at this level so we are in for a difficult match. But I am really looking forward to Saturday and I am sure it will be an entertaining affair so please come along and continue your excellent support of the team.
WELWYN GARDEN CITY
When last Monday’s Herts Senior Cup game was postponed the squad instead went to Archers Gym and Hitchin swimming pool for a combined gym and aqua session. The game will now take place this Monday and as I said last week I want to do well in the County cups so will be looking to progress to the next round.
BY ROY IZZARD