Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 5 MK Dons 4
Tuesday, July 19 2005
The Canaries won at home for the first time in six months, beating a youthful MK Dons team by the odd goal in nine. The sparse crowd was treated to an entertaining 90 minutes, packed with outstanding goals.
Hitchin took the lead in the 13th minute when a Chris McMenamin cross was drilled home by Josh Sozzo. Seven minutes later, McMenamin netted from inside the penalty area with a shot into the top corner.
MK Dons pulled one back after 25 minutes through Sam Baldock, who gave Richard Wilmot no chance from the edge of the area.
But Sozzo restored Hitchin’s two-goal margin with a glancing header on the half hour and then the Canaries’ skipper set up Mark Bridge who unleashed an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net.
Four minutes into the restart, MK Dons pulled a goal back when Julien Hornuss sent a delicate chip over Wilmot.
In the 61st minute, Bilal Hassan, with a first-time shot inside the area, scored Hitchin’s fifth goal, before Baldock (72 minutes) and Steve Palmer (83 minutes) reduced the arrears once more.