Hitchin Town Football Club

Bedford Town 3 Hitchin Town 1

Thursday, May 6 2004

There was no dream finale to the season for the Canaries as Bedford knocked them out of the Ryman League play-offs in a heated local derby.

Two sending offs , one for each side, an injured keeper and a raucous crowd made this game compelling viewing. Hitchin were swept aside in the second half after dominating the first period, although a 29th minute goal by Drew Roberts meant that the Canaries were chasing the game after the interval.

Earlier, Stuart Maynard and Josh Sozzo had both missed good chances in a 20-minute period that saw a nervous Bedford side struggle to get to grips with Hitchin. Roberts' goal came six minute before Lee Howarth was dismissed for an elbowing offence on former local hero Sozzo.

Just before the break, Bedford goalkeeper Ian Brown was stretchered off after a collision with Tom Neill, but fortunately for the home side, they had a spare custodian on the bench.

But in the 51st minute, a goal-line clearance by Kevin Evans landed at the feet of Julian Capone, who sent his shot through a crowded area. Hitchin were now well and truly up against it and Bedford were brimming with confidence - despite being a man short.

Hitchin were dealt another blow when Glen Lamacraft, one of the finds of the season, was red-carded for bringing down Roberts. Hitchin's fate was sealed in the 74th minute when Roberts shot home his second.

Sozzo replied for Hitchin in added time to bring down the curtain on a sorry campaign.

Hitchin Town: Wilmot, Neill (Frater 80), Lamacraft, Childs, Covington, Scott, Evans (Mills 75), Maynard, Hay, Sozzo, Lochhead

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