Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Clevedon Town 1 Hitchin Town 1
Saturday, September 22 2007
Hitchin extended their unbeaten run to five games, four of which have been on the road.
Thank heaven for Tyron Sealey! That must be in the back of most Hitchin fans' minds after this game. Sealey grabbed a 75th minute equaliser as the Canaries recovered from a torrid first half to earn a point. The youngster proved his worth once more with his second goal for the club
At the interval, few would have given Hitchin much hope of getting anything out of yet another long trip west. Clevedon dominated the first half and the Canaries rarely got into second gear. But a half-time grilling and the introduction of Leon Simpson, changed the game.
Simpson has little in the way of pedigree, but he causes problems for opposition defenders and he certainly made a difference to Hitchin's attack in the closing stages of a tepid game.
It was not until the 42nd minute that the game sparked into life. A poor clearance by goalkeeper Ricky Perks crashed against Clevedon's man of the moment Steve Cook and the shaven-headed striker shot home from an acute angle.
Hitchin were a different proposition in the second half and Richard Pringle headed wide from a Carl Williams cross. Then Wayne Mills created a chance for Ryan Frater, whose header was inches wide of the target.
Clevedon went close to extending their lead when a Craig Davidge cross-cum-shot soared across the face of the Hitchin goal, but within seconds, Hitchin had restored parity.
A long ball into the Clevedon area by David Deeney was headed down by Simpson and Sealey gained control, rounded a defender and sent a low shot into net.
Sealey almost gave Hitchin the lead when he took advantage of a defensive slip and saw his shot cleared off the line.
But at the other end, slack defending gave Cook the chance to score again for the home side, but he blazed his effort high and wide.
Clevedon: Greaves, Brigham, Haines, Leek (Graffagnino 68), Hendy, Scott, Bassatt, Green, Symons (Page 82), Cook, Topper (Davidge 56)
Hitchin: Perks, Deeney, Mountford, Frater, Gentle-King, James, Sealey, Hill, Pringle, Williams, Mills (Simpson 68)
Attendance: 159
Referee: R.Gillard