Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Kingstonian 1 Hitchin Town 1
Sunday, October 26 2003
Hitchin go into their vital FA Trophy tie with Wivenhoe on Saturday buoyed by a three-match unbeaten run in the league after this well earned draw with Kingstonian.
Both the Canaries and their hosts could claim with some justification that they could have won this game, but a draw was a fair result.
Hitchin opened well with new midfielder Paul Abbott going close with a shot that was saved by Kingstonian goalkeeper Lance Key. But Grant Payne could have opened the scoring for the home side when he took advantage of a mix-up between Richard Wilmot and James Ayres and elected to square the ball instead of shooting.
In the 20th minute, Payne struck the crossbar and appealed that the ball had crossed the line. The plea had credibility, but the referee waved play on.
In the 38th minute, Hitchin were awarded a penalty when Matt Elverson handled in the area. Stuart Maynard was unable to beat Key from the spot, but the rebound fell to Jon Bone who shot home from close range.
But Hitchin were ahead for just six minutes, Wilmot parrying Payne’s shot as far as Mark Beard who finished from six yards.
The second half saw Kingstonian come more into the game with Stafford Browne breaking free and sending a shot just inches wide of Wilmot’s goal.
Hitchin had three good chances, a Carl Williams diving header and two for substitute James Osborn.
The best opportunity was in the 88th minute, when Osborn, after being set up by Adam Furness, failed to get much power in his effort and Key deflected the shot for a corner.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Bone, Rydeheard, Frater, Ayres, Evans, Williams (Furness 83), Abbott, Dillon, Parker, Maynard(Osborn 69)