Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 3 Crystal Palace 2
Saturday, July 29 2006
Former Luton midfielder David Deeney stole the show against a young Crystal Palace side and could have scored a hat-trick in the most entertaining of Hitchin’s pre-season games so far.
Deeney netted twice and missed a penalty as a Hitchin side lacking the club’s two new strikers, Chris Dillon and Grant Carney, just came out on top against Palace.
The Canaries started well and two volleys from Deeney flew over the crossbar.
Palace also had their chances, notably a long range effort by Lewis Spence that was saved by Hitchin goalkeeper Paul Taylor.
Hitchin continued to make the running in the first half, however, and took the lead after 29 minutes when Stuart Hammonds headed home a high cross by Deeney.
Palace equalised three minutes into the second half, a shot by Victor Moses was parried by Taylor and Ben Kajodi followed up to score.
Hitchin regained the lead on the hour from the penalty spot. Mark Bridge was brought down in the area and Deeney netted his second penalty in a week.
Hitchin had a good chance to extend their lead when Wayne Mills set up Thomas Hayes, but his shot was too high.
Palace restored parity in he 78th minute, Spence rolling the ball home despite Scott Cretton’s last ditch attempt to stop it going over the line.
Deeney spurned the chance of putting Hitchin ahead again two minutes later, striking another penalrty against the crossbar. But he redeemed himself in the 82nd minute when he latched onto a loose ball, rounded goalkeeper Martin Pearson and scored.
Hitchin: Taylor, Pugh, Ducket, Cretton, Hammonds, Deeney, Williams, G.Lamacraft, Bridge (A.Lamacraft 75), Hayes (Orphanou 81), French (Mills 63,Lamptey 89)