Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 1 Dunstable Town 5
Saturday, October 30 2004
Halloween came 24 hours early for the Canaries in this disastrous local derby, with Dunstable running out comfortable winners.
The ghosts of Hitchin sides past came back to haunt the Canaries, with no less than seven former players in the Dunstable squad and former manager Robbie O’Keefe watching from the sidelines.
Hitchin were stunned by a 90 second opener by Dunstable, a 25-yard shot by Tony Fontenelle after he ran from the halfway line unchallenged. In response, Hitchin created a series of chances, but poor finishing let them down.
Dunstable could have stretched their lead when Carl Drew and Dean Carney both missed chances. It was Carney that netted Dunstable’s second goal in the 35th minute after a Hitchin attack had broken down.
There was more salt rubbed in the wound when another ex-Hitchin player, Drew, scored from close range in the 57th minute after an inch-perfect cross by Thomas Hayes. Nine minutes later, Carney scored his second goal after his first shot had been blocked.
In the 74th minute, Darran Hay replied for Hitchin, turning the ball into the net after Aaron Cavill’s volley into the area. But within seconds, Dunstable had scored their fifth goal, Carney shooting through Lee McCulloch’s legs as the home side appealed for offside.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Barr (Old 23), Kidd (McMenamin 56), Smith, McCulloch, Cavill, Sozzo, Covington, Bridge ( Hassan 65), Hay, Jaggard
