Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 0 Tiverton Town 1
Saturday, February 5 2005
A goal 18 minutes from time gave Tiverton an unlikely win at Top Field.
For long periods in the first half, Hitchin looked as though they would add to their recent good run on their own ground. But in the second half, the Canaries ran out of ideas and Tiverton took their only chance of the game.
Hitchin should have gone in at half-time a goal to the good. In the 15th minute, a Bilal Hassan found Glen Lamacraft, whose flying header was just wide. Lamacraft had another chance when he raced onto through ball but shot past the post. Shane Hill also had a chance when he headed an Aaron Cavill free kick wide.
In the second half, Hassan forced former Luton goalkeeper Mark Ovendale to dive full length to stop a shot from the edge of the area.
But it was Tiverton who broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, shooting home following a goalmouth scramble.
Hitchin went in search of an equaliser, with substitute Mark Bridge heading into Ovendale’s gloves and Josh Sozzo hooking the ball across the face of goal as the final whistle blew.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Baldry, McMenamin (Barr 48), Smith, Ayres, Cavill, Lamacraft, Hill, Sozzo, Lewis, Hassan (Bridge 67)
