Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Maidenhead Utd 2 Hitchin Town 1
Saturday, February 21 2004
Injury-hit Hitchin stumbled to their fifth successive league defeat against a Maidenhead side buoyed by their recent FA Trophy exploits.
The Canaries, missing more than half a dozen regulars, were nevertheless unfortunate to lose at York Road on a bitterly cold afternoon. Maidenhead did just enough to win, but Hitchin returned home claiming that goalkeeper Richard Wilmot was injured in the build-up to the winning goal.
Hitchin fell behind in the 10th minute when Lawrence Yaku headed home after a free kick. They could have had an equaliser 12 minutes later, though, when new signing Gavin Jaggard forced goalkeeper Phil Wilson to pull off a good save.
Jaggard was also involved when he crossed for Glen Lamacraft, but the young midfielder just failed to connect.
In the second half, Maidenhead almost increased their lead when Mark Boyce struck a post. But in the 70th minute, the Canaries levelled, Darran Hay bundling the ball home after a free kick by Jim Duffy was headed on by Jon Bone.
Hitchin were soon under pressure, however, with Phil Gray striking the crossbar and then in the 77th minute, Andy Jennings lobbed Wilmot to score, despite a last-ditch attempt by Bone to clear.
It could still have been different, if Hay had forced Duffy's cross over the line in added time.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Bone, Duffy, Burke, Covington, Darcey (McElroy 85), Lamacraft, Jaggard, Bridge, Hay, Nicholl
