Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Gloucester City 1 Hitchin Town 0
Saturday, April 22 2006
This may not have been the best preparation for Hitchin’s Errea Cup Final second leg, but it was typical end-of-season fayre, with two teams casting one eye on the summer. Ironically, the two teams have been in contrasting form - Gloucester rising up the table in recent weeks, and Hitchin plummeting to just above the relegation zone.
Hitchin started well enough, with Aaran Cavill going close twice in the first 10 minutes. But as the game wore on, Gloucester could argue with some justification that they had the upper hand. By half-time, big forward Jody Bevan had two headers that sailed just wide of the target, and Richard Wilmot had pulled off a good save from Lyndon Tomkins.
At the start of the second half, Hitchin appeared to be more fired up, and a free kick from Stuart Lochhead was deflected just past the post. At the other end, Wilmot saved from Mark Preece and David Wilkinson inches wide.
Hitchin responded with Cavill setting up Daniel French, who volleyed too high.
Nine minutes from time, Gloucester took the lead. A ball across goal by Justin Pritchard was met by Mark McKeever, and his shot was parried by Wilmot to Luke Corbett, who shot home from close range.
Hitchin’s best chance of the entire game was in the last minute, Cavill controlling the ball well and shooting wide.
Hitchin: Wilmot, Deeney, Lamacraft, Ayres, Hammonds, Hicks, Cavill, Lochhead, Jaggard (Phelan 66), Hayes, French (W.Mills 82)