WEEKLY BULLETIN: 27TH FEBRUARY
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 28th February vs Beaconsfield Town (H) – Southern League
We welcome Beaconsfield Town to Top Field in the Southern League Division One Central this Saturday, with a 3pm kick-off.
In the reverse fixture, in November, it was a 2-2 draw at Holloways Park. Hitchin’s goals coming from Taylor Rhiney and Josh Jackman.
Beaconsfield currently sit 11th in the league table with 45 points from the 30 games they have played, whilst Hitchin Town are second in the table with 64 points earned in our 30 games.
Tickets
Where possible we advise purchasing online. As well as being cheaper, it will ensure your quick and easy entry into the ground through the turnstiles.
Please purchase your tickets online here:
https://hitchintownfc.ktckts.com/brand/match-tickets
The online box office remains open until 30 minutes after kick off.
If you do need to buy your tickets in person, our Matchday ticket office will be open from 13.30-15.15 , and can be accessed from the rear car park (behind the Canary Club). Once you have purchased a ticket at the Matchday Ticket Office you will then present your ticket at the turnstiles for entry. More details here:
https://hitchintownfc.club/admission-prices/
Turnstiles open at 14.00
Parking
Unfortunately supporter parking is not available in the club car park (unless you are a registered blue badge holder and have made prior arrangements).
Food and Drink
The Canary Club bar is open from 11.00 with some of the lowest prices in Hitchin! Drinks can be taken into the ground in a reusable plastic cup. (£1 deposit required). You can exit to the bar during the match and will be re-admitted via the side gate by showing your hand-stamp.
Please enter the ground as early as possible before kick off to avoid congestion at the turnstiles. We have the following options inside the ground and you can still exit to the Canary Club Bar too:
Mad Squirrel Brewery are serving a great range of craft beers, ciders and lager. They are located adjacent to the main stand.
Canary Kitchen will be open from when the turnstiles open serving a great range of food and soft drinks including our signature HTFC Pies.
Club Shop
Get your matchday programme, teamsheet, chocolate bars, sweets and HTFC merchandise from the club shop.
For full details on the facilities at Top Field see our Matchday Info page here:
https://hitchintownfc.club/matchday-info/
We look forward to welcoming everyone to Top Field and hope that everyone has a great afternoon.
On Friday 6 March we travel to Hertford to play Enfield with kick-off at 7.45pm. This game will be previewed in next week’s bulletin.
Manager’s Notes
Last Weekend’s Defeat at Leverstock Green
Last Saturday we travelled to Leverstock Green looking to build on our performance last time out against Ware FC.
The game started as an even contest and you could tell from the opening exchanges it was just going to be a battle in difficult conditions and there was not going to be much between the two teams. The pattern of the game was us controlling the ball but failing to find the quality when we got into the final 3rd. Leverstock Green had the best chance of the game when Tyler McGregor was called into a save but it was not long after before Lewis Franklin won a penalty which Taylor Rhiney dispatched. We continued to try and press on for another but our closest chance was from Liam Brooks who dragged his shot wide. The game did not have much in it and it was a real slog between both teams which meant the quality of the game was missing. Leverstock Green then should have equalised from a counter attack but the effort went over from close range.
We came in at 1-0 up but didn’t deserve to be in front on the balance of play as nothing had really happened but Leverstock had the better chances. We spoke about the need to not take any risks on a difficult pitch but also make sure we imposed ourselves more in the game in the final 3rd.
Second half started again with not much happening and the game was getting bogged down into the middle of the pitch with both teams cancelling each other out. Then around the 60th minute some poor defending from a throw-in and numerous slips gave Leverstock Green an equaliser. We now needed to improve to make sure we could get back in front but it was not long before another mistake/mix up at the back allowed Leverstock to take the lead from the penalty spot but this time we were able to react straight away and get a penalty of our own which Taylor Rhiney scored. The way we had defended and attacked I think we were in a situation where a draw would have been a good point, although we did push on for an unlikely winner. We then had some more poor defending and this allowed Leverstock to break out to win the game.
Our defending as a collective and our defensive record has been the best in the league but Saturday was embarrassing and the words I used to the players was disgraceful but on reflection although it was disappointing it was very uncharacteristic for this group and I am sure it will just be a one off. We also lacked the quality in attack which we have shown in recent weeks which meant we didn’t register a shot on target from open play.
We need to look at this game, work on the areas we need to improve and move on now. There is absolutely no point in dwelling on this result.
Thank you to everyone who travelled to the game and I am sorry it was a wasted Saturday due to a way below par performance.
Making the Herts County Cup Final
Wednesday we travelled to London Lions for our rearranged fixture in the Herts Senior Cup Semi Final.
This was now a great opportunity to rotate the squad from Saturday but also for the players coming in to put themselves in contention for Saturday’s game.
We made 9 changes to the starting 11 with third choice keeper Josh Mollison coming in as well as Cole Butler, Will McNiell, Blue Joy, Toby Syme, Kavan Cotter, Fernando Bell-Toxtle, Diogo Freitas – Gouveia, George Morrall with only Ciaren Jones and Liam Brooks staying in the team from Saturday.
Which meant Callum Nicolson, Charlie Briggs, Callum Kane and Lewis Franklin dropped to the bench and we were able to include first year academy player Elliott Phillips in the squad.
We were able to rest Brett Longden, Josh Coldicott – Stevens and Taylor Rhiney from the squad.
London Lions started the game better in the first 10 minutes but I put this down to them starting fast but also us adapting to the 9 changes to the starting 11. We then started to get a foothold in the game and this meant we could play the game in the London Lions half. We always looked threatening but we were unable to capitalise on our chances. Defensively we had not had much to do but London Lions first corner resulted in a goal. This didn’t change the pattern of the game and we continued to keep playing with high tempo and energy and Liam Brooks forced the keeper into a good save and Cole Butler dragged a shot wide in which he should have done better. We then did get the equaliser after a ball in behind from Cole Butler allowed Diogo Freitas – Gouveia to race through to smash home and we should have taken the lead when George Morrall squared the ball to Diogo who should have tapped the ball home but somehow missed. London Lions grew into the game in the last 5 minutes of the half but did not force Josh Mollison into a save.
Half Time we needed to correct the defending from set plays as it had not been good enough but apart from that it had been a very good half of football and we should have been In a winning position. We wanted to maintain the high standards and just improve our quality when the goal scoring chances came up.
Second half and London Lions were a lot better but were still unable to force Josh Mollison into a save. Their best moments came from some poor quality from us with our simple passes. We continued to create chances but again we were unable to force the London Lions keeper into any saves. We kept on dominating the ball but were just missing the final touch in our attacks.
In the 83rd minute a well worked free kick allowed first year academy player Elliott Phillips to tap home at the back post in what turned out to be the winner.
Despite some late pressure we were able to hold on for the win and progress into the final.
I am delighted to be able to bounce back from Saturday, I am also extremely happy that we were able to make 9 changes to the team and still win a difficult game of football against a very good team and I am so proud of Elliott Phillips for coming into the squad, playing well and popping up with the winner.
We now have a final to look forward to and the players that came into the squad have now given me more of a selection headache for Saturday.
Thank you to everyone who came and supported the group, especially after Saturday’s dismal display.
Home Game vs Beaconsfield on Saturday
Saturday we host Beaconsfield Town looking for a better display than our last league game.
Beaconsfield arrive at this game off the back of a defeat to in form Thame United but until then they were unbeaten in 7 league games winning 5 and drawing 2, one game where Leighton scored with the last kick of the game to equalise.
Beaconsfield will have aspirations of making the playoffs and every game is vital that they pick up points to make sure they keep in with the play off chasing pack.
Beaconsfield have plenty of physicality within their team and are a huge threat from set plays as we found out in our last meeting where we drew 2-2.
We need to make sure we defend better as a collective and cut out the individual errors which cost us in our last league game. We need to make sure we are more organized from set plays as this is where we were punished in the reverse fixture. We also need to make sure we bring the hard working mentality that we have had throughout the season and make sure we find the quality in the key moments.
I am expecting a really difficult game against strong opposition.
Please make sure you create a positive atmosphere to get behind the group to push them on to a positive performance.
See you all Saturday.
Player News
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Josh Bowler has dislocated his shoulder and will be out for the rest of the season.
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Kye Tearle has broken his toe and will be out for a few weeks.
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Josh Jackman is on his honeymoon and will miss Saturday’s game.
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Stephen Gleeson serves his final game of his suspension.
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Fernando Bell-Toxtle will be rested after picking up a knock on Wednesday.
Academy Update
First-year Elliott Phillips scored the winner for the first team on Wednesday night in the Herts Senior Cup Semi Final away to London Lions.
Current academy players Blue Joy and Will McNeill also played 90 minutes in this match which also featured academy graduates Lewis Franklin, Callum Kane and Josh Mollison.
It was great to have six players who have been part of our academy in the first team squad which continues to show the progression from our academy into the first team.
If you would like to be part of the academy or for further information please use this link
Or email Michael.jones@wearescl.co.uk
Michael Jones
Herts Senior Cup Finalists
After our semi-final victory at London Lions we will play either Bishops Stortford or St Albans in the final with the venue and date to be decided. Bishops Stortford beat Hadley 4-1 in their quarter final and they are due to play St Albans in March.
Bike Donation Event
It was a great pleasure to welcome our Charity Partner “Herts Disability Sports Foundation” to Top Field on Saturday 21st February. Having been in the planning stages with Ros Cramp their Director, we managed to find a date outside of our usual fixture list to pencil in and advertise a bike donation event. Basically letting all the great folk of Hitchin know that we were collecting any old, unused bikes that could be donated to this great charity. We had no idea how many people would see the advertising on social media and within our Schools Parent-mail systems.
Two volunteers, Noah and myself, met with Oliver the charity’s mechanic from the charity nice and early to get set up. So, once the banner and gazebos were up we awaited our first customer. We didn’t have to wait long and one of our ground staff Steve and his daughter walked down the road with the first two donations of the day! It set the tone for the day and we were soon welcoming bike after bike.
Thank you to the amazing people of Hitchin and surrounding villages as we collected 57 bikes of all sizes. All useful bikes that can be reconditioned and given life again. It didn’t matter if they had flat tyres or looked unloved, Oliver and his apprentice will be able to turn these out for the many children and young people from deprived areas who they support. Some of these people have never even had a chance to learn to ride a bike before let alone own one.
We are delighted that we have been able to assist the charity in this way and will look to do this again in June. So please keep your eyes peeled for that date and once again a huge thank you to anyone who donated or passed on the information, you really made a difference.
To find out more about this wonderful charity visit About Us – Herts Disability
Kate Deller
Hitchin Belles at Top Field
This Sunday will see Hitchin Belles Women in Eastern Region Women’s Football League action against Huston Ladies at Top Field. Kick-off is 2pm.
It’s free entry so please come down and show your support.
Quiz Night as The Canary Club
On Thursday 12 March we will be holding another of our ever popular Quiz Nights hosted in his own unique way by Mick Docking. Book early to ensure your place.
Community Update
Coaching Courses at the Arena
Junior Ability Counts
The Junior Ability Counts sessions at the Arena, Baldock start from 5pm until 6pm and are open to children from 5 – 16 years old with physical and or SEN but be able to walk.
This current course has four weeks left to run, with the next season on Monday 2 March.
Safe Hands Goalkeeping Course
The very popular Safe Hands Goalkeeping sessions at the Arena, Baldock with former Hitchin Town 1st Team goalkeeper Josh Mollison start at 5.30pm to 6.30pm.
This current course has four weeks left to run, with sessions on Wednesdays.
Coaching in Schools
We have started the new half-term delivering coaching sessions in our local schools with sessions taking place at:
- Preston Junior: Wraparound Care, Lunch Time Clubs and PPA
- Oughton Primary: Lunch Time & After School Clubs and PE Lessons
- Icknield Infants: After School Clubs and Morning Clubs
- St Mary’s: Morning and After School Clubs, PE Lessons & PPA Cover
- Woolgrove: Lunch Time Clubs
- Brandles: PE Lessons
- Samuel Lucas: After School Clubs everyday Monday – Friday
If there are any schools requiring support for their PE, PPA, After School and Breakfast Clubs please contact Josh Mollison on info@htcfc.co.uk
Mark Burke
Hitchin Town Women FC
Results
Hitchin Town Women FC 2 – 2 Wootton Blues
HTWFC Canaries 4 – 2 Buntingford Town
Fixtures
Sunday 1st March 2026 – 14:00
Hitchin Town Women FC v Everett Ladies
St Christophers School, Barrington Road, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3JZ
Callum Ellis