Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 1 Bedford Town 4

Monday, April 17 2006

For the second season running, Bedford trounced and humiliated Hitchin in front of their own crowd.
And just like last season, the Eagles won 4-1 at Top Field.

The Canaries have hit a rough patch in the final weeks of the season, but thankfully, they are not in danger of relegation. But with the Errea Cup final second leg on the horizon, the need to get back to winning ways is vital for Darren Salton’s team.

They had a setback after 135 seconds in this local derby - Chris Dillon stooping to head home from Craig Rydeheard’s free kick.  But less than two minutes later, Hitchin could have drawn level. Gavin Jaggard was held back by Gavin Hoyte, but Daniel French missed the resulting penalty kick.

French and Stuart Lochhead both had chances to equalise in the first half, but neither seriously tested goalkeeper Ian Brown.

Bedford extended their lead in the 47th minute when former Hitchin winger Carl Williams sent a cross-cum-shot just underneath Richard Wilmot’s crossbar.Within a minute, a volley by Hitchin midfielder David Deeney sailed just wide of Brown’s goal.

But Bedford scored again in the 51st minute when Rene Howe capitalised on a header back to Wilmot by Cavill and slotted the ball into the net.

Three minutes later, Gavin Jaggard’s volley bounced off the post and into the net off Brown to drag Hitchin back into the game.

Defensive errors gave Bedford a fourth goal, however. Wilmot strayed too far out of goal and Rene Howe, at the second attempt, scored from a tight angle.

That more or less killed the game, and Bedford could afford the luxury of taking off their most effective players. Lochhead did have one good chance, but Brown was equal to it.

Hitchin: Wilmot, Ayres, Hammonds, Folds, Deeney, Cavill, Lochhead, Mills, Jaggard (Hayes 88), French, Lamacraft

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