Hitchin Town Youth Football Club
An FA Charter Standard Development Club
Hitchin Huricanes v Sacred Hearts
Saturday, September 10 2005
Our first competitive match of the new season in the Chiltern Junior Sevens League was against Sacred Hearts, a team that we had beaten on penalties at the end of last season, to go through to the final of the Willowfield Tournament. With this in mind, it was always going to be a tough match as they would surely be out for their revenge!
The weather at Purwell was overcast and a slight drizzle was falling as Sacred Hearts kicked off the first half. Instant pressure by Hearts forced the first corner of the match after being stopped in their tracks by Oliver and Callum in defence. The corner was easily cleared but this was an early warning of what was to come!
On 10 minutes Hearts were awarded the first free kick of the game which was played in well but the shot that followed lacked power, though a second shot from the deflection was struck much harder and luckily went well wide.
Another Hearts free kick soon followed forcing Matt to make his first save of the day and quickly send the ball up field to Lee out on his favourite right wing who made a lightening run before slotting in a great cross to Simmy whose first time shot was cruely blocked by an unsuspecting defender.
A midfield battle now unfolded as the lads at last seemed to step up the pace with Lee, Simmy and Alfie all playing well and keeping Ruman busy up front with the through balls but the Hearts defenders were always alert and quick to deny him for all his pace and effort. The opposition however, responded and were soon piling on the pressure once again, gaining two more corners both resulting in hard shots being blocked by Callum with the follow ups being excellently saved by Matt.
Another attack from their right wing saw a very well struck shot that would have eluded most keepers...but not Matt who was on cracking form in this first half. With five minutes to go Jack came on in his old stikers role replacing Ruman who dropped back to left midfield so Alfie could take a breather.
The last minutes of this half saw yet another Hearts corner but this time being well cleared by Oliver with a lovely ball out to Lee who read Jacks lightening run well by placing the ball inch perfect. Unfortunately, the keeper was also like lightening resulting in a very hard collision with Jacks shooting boot as he attempted to dive on the ball...very brave...but it hurt! Ref Chris quite rightly halted play instantly and sadly for Hurricanes, had the injury not occured we would have certainly gone into the second half with the lead as the keeper hadn't held the ball and Jack would have opened the scoring. Alas then, half time came with no score line leaving Sacred Hearts still full of confidence as there was no denying that they had had most of the play.
Hurricanes kicked of the second half and instantly went on the attack, again with a Lee/Jack combination unlucky not to produce a goal in the first minute as Jack shot just wide.
The resulting goal kick was collected by an ever alert Oliver who sent it back up front to Jack only to have this shot saved. The keeper launched the ball back into our half and a shot from one of their midfielders, blocked in the box left us dismayed as the ball somehow found it's way into the net after a furious goal mouth scramble. 0-1.
This gave our opponents the initiative and heaping on the pressure almost scored twice more within a few minutes. A hard foul on Callum by their striker halted the first of these while the second chance showed Simmy excellently blocking an extremely hard shot at very close range that must of hurt...but if it did, he bravely didn't show it.
The game was now getting more and more physical and tackles got stronger keeping Chris and his whistle and Debbie and her 'magic' spray bottle busy as our boys tried to get back into it and Hearts tried to extend their lead. Their first aider was kept busy too as the boys on both sides were going in harder and harder as the the game progressed!
On 15 minutes Alfie took over from Jack who in turn took over from Callum in defence. Desperate to get the equaliser as time ticked bye, all the lads were now pushing up field into to join in the attacks and we even earned a corner...a rare thing in this match for us, when Lee was brought down in a crunching tackle and the resulting free kick from 10 yards out was put behind the goal line by their left back. Still though, we were denied the net.
The best chance of the half came when a foul on Simmy gave Lee another shot from the free kick. He struck it beautifully, lobbing the keeper from some distance out. Everyone gasped as it appeared to drop in...and then groaned as they realised the ball was shaking the net from behind after brushing the top...not the bottom of the cross bar!
Desperate now, everybody was pushing forward and again Lee saw a good hard shot blocked only for Jack to put the rebound wide. Hearts then attacked with Matt pulling off another great save and sending the ball once more back finding Ruman who controlled and turned it well passing to Alfie who set up Lee with our last shot of the game, a low hard strike brilliantly saved by their keeper.
Suddenly, we were caught out with everyone up and wide open at the back the keeper instantly sent the ball down their right wing and an instant spectacular shot that followed left Matt with no chance this time. 0-2.
Only a few minutes later, and with our last attack of the game we fell for it again, and were caught out. This time however, Matt stopped the shot when in an almost identical replay of Jacks coming together with the Hearts keeper at the end of the first half, he met their striker! Unfortunately for us though, this time round Chris can't be everywhere at once and was blind side to the incident and as the ball trickled across the line, the goal was awarded, cruel, but that's football.
By the time brave Matt had been sorted out the game was over. If we're honest about it, though all the boys tried their best, we were beaten on the day by the more fluent playing team although the final score line was very harsh to say the least!
Final score Hurricanes 0 - Sacred Heart 3
Man of the Match : Matt Holder 
Match Report By: Kevin