Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 3 Peterborough Utd 6

Wednesday, July 9 2003

A healthy pre-season crowd of 367 watched Hitchin lose 3-6 at home to Peterborough United last night, the Canaries first friendly of the new campaign. Hitchin's goals were scored by Dean Brennan, Matt Nolan and Adam Parker.

There was an air of disbelief at Top Field that Hitchin were playing football just 66 days after finishing their Ryman League campaign at Enfield in May. The Canaries players had only had two training sessions before facing Barry Fry's Peterborough and towards the end of this lively game, it showed.

The Posh were also a little rusty, but Fry had the resources to field two separate teams for this game, their third in a week. Hitchin, with their summer captures on display for the first time, showed some good touches, notably through Matt Nolan and Dean Brennan, and at one stage, led the Football League Division Two side before capitulating in the last 20 minutes.

When Peterborough went two goals ahead in half an hour, it looked ominous for Hitchin. Simon Rea and former Hitchin youth player Andy Fotiadis scored the goals with some ease.

But the Canaries came back with two goals just before the interval, Brennan netting from the penalty spot and Nolan scoring from close range after a blistering cross by Andy Douglas.

Hitchin went ahead in the 55th minute when Adam Parker headed home a cross by Chris Dillon, but from that point, Robbie O'Keefe' side started to wilt in the steamy atmosphere.

Peterborough's fitness superior fitness level began to show and veteran striker Andy Clarke levelled the scores after 63 minutes. His namesake applied the finishing touch to the evening with a 12 minute hat-trick.

The first goal was a far post volley in the 66th minute, the second a 75th minute header and the final goal of the evening was a 78th minute penalty after Francis Green had been brought down by Kevin Evans.

Hitchin: Graham, McElroy (Mills 70), Duckett, Frater (Bruce h/t), Ayres (Childs h/t), Osborn (Parker h/t), Williams (Francis 60), Brennan, Douglas, Nolan, Dillon (Maynard 64)

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