Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 0 Northampton Town 3
Wednesday, July 13 2005
Hitchin began their pre-season friendlies against a strong Northampton side, who will be among the favourites for promotion from League Two this season.
Canaries manager Darren Salton won’t have learnt too much from this performance, but he will have been able to gauge the fitness level of his side. Salton fielded much of last year’s team with the addition of a handful of trialists, including former Thame midfielder Jonathan Mills, wide man Jason Williams and Hitchin old boy Stuart Lochhead. Mills impressed as a strong, combative player, which bodes well for the remainder of the pre-season programme.
Northampton, unsurprisingly, had the edge on fitness as well as technique but it took until the 34th minute for the Cobblers to open the scoring, a far post volley from Brett Johnson following a cross from the left wing.
Scott McGleish added a second for Northampton in the 46th minute with a six-yard box tap-in after which Hitchin went close through Aaron Cavill and Bilal Hassan.
The scoring was completed eight minute from time when Scott Gross sent a 30-yard shot into the net.