Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 2 Evesham United 2
Saturday, December 17 2005
Hitchin let slip a two-goal lead to throw away two much needed points against an Evesham side that should have been well beaten before their dramatic recovery. The visitors netted twice in four minutes after the Canaries had dominated the second half.
Hitchin got off to a perfect start and scored after less than two minutes. A quickly-taken free kick by Josh Sozzo found Daniel French and he shot wide of Evesham goalkeeper David Adey.
The Canaries continued to cause the leaden-footed Evesham defence problems and Sozzo almost added to their lead but his shot was blocked by Adey.
Evesham recovered from their poor start and in the 11th minute, Richard Ball struck a post with a drive from the edge of the area. Robert Taylor also went close when his effort was parried by Hitchin goalkeeper Richard Wilmot and rolled across the home goal.
Hitchin started the second half in much the same vein as the first, with substitute Mark Ducket going close with a left foot drive. Thomas Hayes saw a six-yard shot cleared off the line and then he headed past the post from a Stuart Lochhead corner. Sozzo also hit the crossbar with a fierce drive.
In the 72nd minute, on-loan signing David Hicks scored Hitchin's second goal with a 25-yard shot. But six minutes later, a tame free kick by Gavin O'Toole found the back of the net to give Evesham some hope. In the 81st minute, the visitors' recovery was complete when Romi Cammock scrambled the ball home after a melee in the area.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Townley, Ayres, Hammonds, Lamacraft, Lochhead, Hicks, French, Hayes (Bridge 61), Sozzo, Pugh (Ducket h/t)