Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Team Bath 4 Hitchin Town 0
Sunday, August 26 2007
Hitchin were left in no doubt about the task in store for them in 2007-08 when they came up against a strong Team Bath side at Twerton Park.
The Canaries were soundly beaten by the home side and in the second half in particular, were decidedly second best. Hitchin always find it hard against the University of Bath's side, but on this occasion, they rarely troubled the students.
Manager Darren Salton gave a debut to full back Nick Mountford, who joined Hitchin this week following the injury to Parys Okai.
In the first half, it was fairly even until the final minute. Hitchin had their chances, notably when Richard Pringle's shot was easily saved by Team Bath goalkeeper Darren Chitty and then when Carl Drew shot into the side-netting.
In the 44th minute, however, Team Bath took the lead when substitute Josh Llewellyn shot home following a corner.
Three minutes into the second half, Llewellyn scored his second goal of the game, Dan Dillon setting up the wide man after a defensive slip.
Pringle could have pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when Shane Hill set him up and his tame effort almost rolled over the goal line but was cleared by a defender.
Team Bath took a firm grip on the game and could have added more goals. Sean Canham volleyed part the post and then Canaries' goalkeeper Ricky Perks pulled off a double save.
Sean Canham made it 3-0 after 88 minutes when, totally unmarked, he headed home from a corner. Two minutes later, Matt Townley added another, lobbing over Perks after being set clear.
Team Bath: Chitty, Lock, Alonso, Smith (M.Canham 63), Warren, El-Abd, Townley, Dillon, Williams (Llewellyn 23), S.Canham, Thomson (Ake 90)
Hitchin: Perks, Deeney, Mountford, Frater, L.Gentle-King (Simpson 76), Lamacraft, Williams, James (Orphanou 70), Pringle, Drew, Hill
Attendance: 83