Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Canaries aim to rock the Robins
Sunday, September 28 2003
CARSHALTON ATHLETIC'S bubble may have been burst with two defeats last week, but Hitchin travel to Colston Avenue next Saturday in the knowledge that they will have a tough afternoon ahead of them.
Carshalton surprised everyone with their 10-game unbeaten start to the campaign, but they lost their leadership status on Tuesday night when Canvey Island leap-frogged them. The Robins' lost on Monday against Basingstoke by 0-2, just 48 hours after suffering a four-goal drubbing at Heybridge Swifts.
Managed by Billy Smith, a vastly experienced man who knows Ryman League football well, was on holiday when his team built up their strong start to the season, but described the match at Heybridge as "unacceptable" . But he also said that his team "were ahead of schedule" this season.
Canaries boss Robbie O'Keefe has had Smith's side watched on several occasions, and despite recent results, believes that Carshalton are in second place on merit. "You have to respect any team that has strung together a good run like they did. Smith's teams are difficult to beat and they are on a high, regardless of what has happened in the past week," he said. "Some people will claim that we are playing them at the right time, but they will be determined to get back to where they were, so a hard game is guaranteed."
Hitchin can draw inspiration from their last visit to Carshalton, which resulted in a 5-0 win in 2000.
