Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Beaconsfield a potential "banana skin"
Saturday, September 11 2004
Given Hitchin's recent record in the FA Cup and the spate of injuries that Kerry Dixon's side have suffered in recent weeks, the Canaries trip to Beaconsfield on September 18 is littered with warnings.
Hitchin have only to look back to the past two seasons to find reminders that teams from a lower league can leave you red-faced. Molesey and Folkestone both put Hitchin out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, leaving the club shell-shocked and with no lucrative sponsorship cash.
Beaconsfield are also in the Southern League, one division below the Canaries. The club are going through something of a transition, with a change of Chairman in the summer and only this week, the club's reserve team manager, former Maidenhead player Micky Creighton, resigned over an internal disagreement. The club, in its current form, has only been in existence for 10 years following a merger.
Beaconsfield have won just one league game this season, a 4-0 success against Berkhamsted Town. In the FA Cup, they disposed of Wroxham by 1-0 in the Preliminary Round.
Canaries boss Kerry Dixon knows all about one of Beaconsfield's key players, Alan Arthur. Dixon managed the striker when he was at Letchworth.
Former skipper Mark Burke, who has recently returned to first team action, is keen to mark what may be his final season with another stab at the FA Cup. Burke led Hitchin to two memorable giant-killings and this season markers the 10th anniversary of the victory over Hereford United. "We've had some upsets in the past, so we know only too well that if you let your concentration lapse, you're out. It would be great to have another run," he said.
