Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 0 Cheshunt 1
Wednesday, February 7 2007
Another defeat, another catalogue of misfortune and further damage to Hitchin's hopes of mounting a play-off challenge. That was the story of the Canaries' game with Cheshunt on a freezing night at Top Field.
Although this performance was a vast improvement on the last two games, it was a dispirited Hitchin side that took the field against Cheshunt. In contrast, their opponents, who were in the midst of a bad run when they turned up for a game that was abandoned on December 30, looked a transformed side.
The Canaries were not without their chances, however, and in an even first half, Gavin Jaggard had two opportunities to score, notably when he missed from close range after good work by Chris Dillon.
Cheshunt goalkeeper Martin Peat did well to prevent a Dillon header from finding the target and Mark Ducket’s shot was only inches wide of the goal.
At the opposite end, Rob Beckwith stopped Cheshunt from scoring on a number of occasions, diving to save from Darrell Cox and stopping a point blank effort from the same player.
Cheshunt’s goal in the 52nd minute came after a blunder by the Hitchin goalkeeper, who threw the ball to the feet of Cox who planted it into the back of the net.
For a while, it looked as though Cheshunt would take total control and George Gregoriou created a chance for Cox who rounded Beckwith but shot wide.
Despite considerable pressure, Hitchin were unable to find a way past the Cheshunt defence and when they did, the ball refused to run kindly.
Cheshunt almost snatched another goal towards the end when Dewayne Clark send a powerful header past the post from a corner.
Hitchin: Beckwith, Childs, Ducket, Frater, Folds, Lamacraft, Williams, Deeney, Dillon, Jaggard (Orphanou 72), Parker
Cheshunt: Peat, Wattley, Parry, A.Fenton, Bernard, Allen, Clark, Barret (De la Fute 86), Gregoriou (Cato 75), Cox, Forbes