Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Braintree Town 2 Hitchin Town 0
Sunday, November 23 2003
Hitchin’s caretaker team of Dixon, Donnelly and Burke had little cheer at Braintree, and the Canaries rarely looked capable of gaining a good result on a miserable afternoon.
Braintree, also under new management, were the better of two very ordinary teams at Cressing Road, and home goalkeeper Paul Rutherford did not have a single shot to save - a worrying trend that has developed in recent away games for Hitchin.
In the opening stages of this game, Matt Childs had a good chance, but saw his shot go wide of the Braintree goal. Chris Dillon, with a volley, and a low, skidding shot by Carl Williams were also off target.
At the other end, a volley by Matthew Game and a Ross Wareham volley that struck the woodwork, threatened to give the home side the lead.
Just 19 seconds after half-time, Braintree did take the initiative. A piledriver by Dean Parratt was parried by Richard Wilmot and Wareham had a simple job in tapping the ball into the net.
Wareham also made it 2-0 when his header from Parratt’s free kick rolled just past Wilmot’s left hand post shortly after the goal.
For all Hitchin’s hard work, and there was plenty of that, the end product was found lacking. Good work by Leeyon Phelan set up Williams, but his shot was deflected away from goal. Adam Parker also sent a shot over the crossbar after a good burst through the middle.
Braintree clinched victory in the 87th minute when Ben Cranfield’s long range effort beat Wilmot.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Bone, Rydeheard, Frater, Childs, Dillon, Williams, Phelan, Drew (Mills 63), Parker, Maynard
