Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 1 Hemel Hempstead Town 1

Wednesday, December 27 2006

Controversy reigned at Top Field in this Boxing Day local derby as referee Ian Rathbone apologised for erroneously awarding a penalty against Hitchin.

Rathbone admitted that he had made a mistake in handing Hemel the chance of taking a 45th minute lead, but the yellow card brandished to Hitchin goalkeeper Rob Beckwith still stood. Hemel’s Anthony Thomas struck the outside of the post with his kick, a let-off for a Hitchin side that had been second best in the opening half.

Hitchin’s only chance of note in the first half was a free kick by Mark Ducket. Mostly, the home side’s efforts were comfortably dealt with by the Hemel defence.

Hemel took the lead after 53 minutes, a Fabio Valenti shot being turned into his own net by Liam Folds.

Hitchin regrouped, pushing Gavin Jaggard more forward and started to assert themselves more. Hemel also lost some momentum when they replaced leading scorer Thomas with the veteran striker John Lawford.

In the 84th minute, the man of the moment, Chris Dillon, grabbed his sixth goal in three games to earn Hitchin a point. A long free kick by Beckwith was flicked on by Jaggard and Dillon ran on and finished in style.

There was still chance for Hitchin to almost snatch victory, Jaggard missing a very good chance. In fairness to Hemel, however, a Hitchin win would have been rough justice - rather like Beckwith’s booking.

Hitchin: Beckwith, Frater, Ducket, Hammonds, Folds, Deeney, Williams, Miller, Dillon, Sozzo (Orphanou 77), Jaggard

Hemel: Smith, Sinclair, Wild, Valenti, Yeboah, Hibbert (Gould 18), Mapes, Herron, Sippetts, Thomas (Lawford 83), Edgeworth

Attendance: 473

Referee: I.Rathbone

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