Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 1 Clevedon Town 0
Wednesday, April 25 2007
Hitchin maintained their end of season flourish with a third win in four games and beat Clevedon for the first time in four meetings.
The Canaries' fans are warming to some of Darren Salton’s new players – Jon Stevenson and matchwinner Martin Standen are a case in point, and both played a key role in this victory.
Stevenson has given Hitchin something they have been lacking for some years, a player who is willing to take a shot at goal from any distance. His low, long-range efforts have become a feature of recent Hitchin games and in the first half, he had two low drives that troubled the Clevedon defence.
Stevenson and Standen combined for Hitchin’s 37th minute goal, a cross from the midfielder that glanced off Standen’s head despite the attention of Clevedon goalkeeper Danny Greaves.
The unfortunate Greaves was involved in a nasty collision with a goalpost at the start of the second half that resulted in a six minute delay. When play resumed, Hitchin goalkeeper Michael Parkin brought down Jack Pitcher in the penalty area and Clevedon were awarded a spot-kick. Pitcher blasted his penalty into Fishponds Road.
Clevedon had a handful of half chances, notably a header by Scott Hendy that was saved by Parkin and a complete mis-hit by Daine O’Connor when the goal was at his mercy.
Stevenson was Hitchin's biggest threat in the second period and went close on three occasions. In the last minute, Matt Rawlins headed against Hitchin’s crossbar as Clevedon went in search of an equaliser.
Hitchin: Parkin, Deeney, Ducket, Genlte-King, Frater, Lamacraft, Williams, Stevenson (Childs 90), Standen (Cunnington 90), Jaggard, P.Scanlon (Orphanou 57)
Clevedon: Greaves, Scott, Haines, Romhdane, Hendy, Trought (Vickerman 71), O’Connor, Symons, Pitcher, Page, Sheppard (Rawllins 77)
Attendance: 170
Referee: J.Hayto