WEEKLY BULLETIN – 23RD SEPTEMBER

FIXTURES

• Saturday 24th September Away to Stourbridge League kick-off 3.00pm. Coach leaves at 10.30am.
• Monday 26th September Home to St Ives League kick-off 7.45pm. Tickets must be purchased online.
• The postponed Coalville game has been rearranged for Monday 14th November kick-off 7.45pm Another fixture change sees us going to Nuneaton on Tuesday 1st November as they are playing in the FA Cup on the original date.

COACH’S NOTES WITH MICHAEL JONES

As manager Mark Burke was away for a few days (he is back for Saturday) I asked one of our coaching team to stand in for the weekly update and Michael Jones kindly agreed to review the season so far.

I began by asking Michael about the pre-season preparations and the revised philosophy to be hard to beat and less expansive. He explained that last season we started playing a passing game looking to dominate possession but unfortunately it did not work as anticipated. The players did not seem to fully understand the tactical side and we became too easy to play against. So eventually we became more direct, and the goals of Jake Hutchinson made a big difference as we ended the season well.

Reviewing last season the management and coaching staff decided a different approach was needed. It was agreed we needed to be more thoroughly organised and had to become more difficult to beat. Michael said the players fully agreed with this different direction. He said after last season it was unrealistic to look to the top 6 but it was necessary to improve our league position at the very least and keep building on this improvement next season. Some supporters were disappointed with our home goalless draws with Rushall and Basford but had we have attacked more we could have been caught out on the counterattack and keeping the clean sheets meant points on the board. At Barwell we restricted them to few chances while against Needham Market they were the dominant team but we dug in, put our bodies on the line and gained an excellent victory. We know it is a results business so we will not apologise for being difficult to beat.

The FA Cup defeat to Heybridge Swifts was very disappointing and we never came close to the levels we had set in the league games and according to Michael we used slightly different tactics. Because it was a cup game we felt we had to be more expansive to go for the win and ironically Heybridge Swifts did to us what we had been doing to other teams. They let us have more of the ball and hit us on the counterattack and were excellent from set plays and were more physical. One thing Michael was very keen to put right was the perception that the younger players were not aware of the importance of the FA Cup. Indeed he said the opposite was true and as for some of them it was their first ever FA Cup game and they were more nervous and anxious to do well than normal. Michael felt the occasion may have got to some of them.

On to the Bedford game and Michael felt the early goal was so critical. He felt Bedford were excellent for the first ten minutes and very good for the next ten and if we could have kept them out we would have frustrated them, but the early goal buoyed Bedford and we did not really look right from the beginning of the game. The second goal on half time gave Bedford renewed belief and they then had control although we did improve.

Conceding six goals in consecutive defeats means confidence has taken a knock but Michael said the coaching staff and players had taken a hard look at where we had gone wrong. The reaction in training has been very positive. There has been further emphasis on being hard to beat and he expects a positive reaction in the next two games. Injuries and suspension are not helping but he feels we will become stronger when these players return.

Michael assured me the players know they owe it to the supporters to turn things around and feel bad for letting them down. However they also need the supporters to keep behind them when things are not going well. Michael told me that a great deal of time is spent studying videos of our games (every game is filmed) and players are given feedback and advice based on this while the coaching team never stop trying to look for improvements. We also watch our future opponents so we are as professional as we can be given our part time status. We have been training at Top Field this season for which Michael thanked Steve Baker and his ground staff as this has really helped.

I would like to thank Michael for his fascinating insight.

MERCHANDISE UPDATE
We have now received the green baseball caps which can be purchased for £12 and brand-new club ties that are available for £10. These and numerous other items can be purchased online or at the club shop on Monday.

INTERVIEW WITH CHARLIE HORLOCK
My recent interview with Charlie Horlock is now on all our social media channels.

ACADEMY UPDATE BY MICHAEL JONES
GAME UPDATE
On Wednesday 21st September we played our first league game of the season at home to Newport Pagnell. First half it was a game of few chances until the 4th minute of added time when a defensive mix up at the back allowed the visitors to score.

Second half the visitors nicked an early goal which was a real sucker punch, changes were made to award debuts to some new first years and when going for the game they were hit on the break to go down 3-0.

MANAGERS REACTION
Head of Site Stephen Gleeson said after the game “Only one player started for this group last year so it was a brand-new team on the pitch which makes things difficult but take nothing away from Newport they fully deserved the win. Tactically we were nowhere near the standard required however it now gives us a bench mark of where we are at and where we need to improve going forward. This is a very young group this year and training and playing regularly at a higher level against older players will only make us better and I expect us to improve massively as the season goes on”

FA YOUTH CUP
We have been drawn away to Bugbrooke St Michaels in the 2nd Qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup. We will be looking to make improvements on last years 6-0 defeat.

PLAYER WATCH
We have had so much success in recent years with current players and former players playing in the football pyramid and making a real impact in their journey from youth football to senior level. We know about the success at Hitchin Town with the likes of Stan Georgiou, Callum Kane, Malaki Black and Kai Tearle playing for the first team but we also have players playing for other teams.

First year player Joel Jolly made the bench for step 4 Cambridge City in their recent game against Daventry Town which ended 1-1.

Second year player Harrison Sollis has been playing at Step 5 Baldock Town.

Former player and now new apprentice coach Lewis Franklin has had a strong start to the season at Step 4 Welwyn Garden City, we look forward to him playing against Hitchin in the senior cup.

Former player Cameron Groom has also been playing well at Step 4 Berkhamstead while Matthew Blake has been playing at Step 4 Barton Rovers.

Second year Harry Dollimore has taken his performances from the FA Youth cup and has now been starting for Step 6 Letchworth Garden City. Former players Nikolay Rusev, Flavius Drescanu, Tyrese Oates and Ollie Trott have also been playing.

Aarron Hector has been playing at Step 5 Stotfold FC.

HTWFC UPDATE BY KARLA CHAFFEY
This week it was the yearly return of the Herts Challenge Cup. The First team obtained a home walk over as Evergreen threw the game so a friendly against Sherrardswood was hosted. The First team came out 5-0 winners as they look to start their league campaign Sunday 25th September.

The Canaries were at home to Knebworth Ladies and manager Jamie had this to say ‘The Canaries season started with the first round of the Herts Challenge Cup formally known as the County Cup. Today’s opposition was Knebworth Ladies who eliminated the Canaries last season in the League Cup. Could the Canaries cause a cup upset? Knebworth are a Division One side with the Canaries occupying Division Two. Prior to kick off teams donned the black arm bands and stood shoulder to shoulder around the centre circle observing a minute’s silence for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Today saw competitive debuts for Wilkerson, Mole, Cracknell, Reed and Poolman. It also saw the return of Chaffey to the football pitch after a long-term injuring forcing her to the side lines for 18 months.

The game started positively for the Canaries however they could not find the back of net on a few occasions. Knebworth tested the Canaries however Poolman was there on hand to keep Knebworth out.

GOAL! Mercer, Wilkinson and Colyer combined and opened Knebworth for C.Edwards who played the ball across the goal for Wilkinson who tapped in at the back post.

GOAL! H. Edwards and Lewis linking together finding Wilson, who touched it down and sent it top bins from 25 yards out. Her first ever goal in a Hitchin shirt.

Half time went and the Canaries were feeling the wind in their wings.

The second half got underway and Poolman came running out the box and took a ball to the face and after some patching work continued. Mole, Reed and Chaffey entered the field of play. Knebworth started to break the Canaries down however and got their first goal of the day. A mistake leading to a counter attack opened their tally and they equalised shortly after. The second half came to a close and it was straight to penalties.

A string of saves and misses led to sudden death and Knebworth missed theirs, so the pressure fell to Hitchin Town Women’s FC top goal scorer of all time, Chaffey. Chaffey collected the ball and placed it down. With the one look she fired past the keeper and into the top corner! The squad happily welcomed Chaffey on her return to football.

A good competitive game against a team competing in the higher Division the Canaries fly into the next round of the Herts Challenge Cup against either Harpenden Town Ladies FC or Watford Ladies FC.

Full time 2-2
Penalty shootout 3-2
Players player Amies
Managers player Cracknell, Poolman & C.Edwards’

BEDS & HERTS WOMENS FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIXTURES
Bedford Ladies Blues v HTWFC Firsts
Flitwick Eagles Ladies Blues v HTWFC Canaries

Keep up to date with all the live scores & fixtures, Twitter @HitchinTownWFC or on Facebook, Hitchin Town Womens FC

We are currently recruiting new sponsors to help us cement our future. We are looking for sponsors to help us develop a women’s club to be the best in Hertfordshire. Please get in touch for further information.

KARLA CHAFFEY
HTWFC Club Chairperson

BY ROY IZZARD