Hitchin Town Football Club
Founded 1865, Reformed 1928
Hitchin Town 3 Wealdstone 0
Sunday, July 22 2007
Two late goals from Shane Hill provided an optimistic sheen to Hitchin's third pre-season game of the summer.
Hill, whose career has been somewhat staccato, could be just the man to add some guile to the Canaries' side. Hill scored a penalty and a superb goal – Hitchin's third – to underline the talent beneath his languid exterior.
Canaries fans in the sub-100 crowd went away happy, although Wealdstone’s aggressive side looked woefully ill-prepared for the forthcoming season. On another afternoon, they may have suffered at least one red card.
Nobody could complain about the quality of the Canaries finishing, despite having just one forward on show. Jon Stevenson netted Hitchin’s first goal on 15 minutes, a crisp, looping volley from outside the penalty area. Seconds earlier, Hill had tested goalkeeper Luke Blackmore with a free kick that was tipped round the post.
Mark Ducket thought he had extended Hitchin’s lead in the second half when his effort rolled goalwards, but a defender cleared the danger. Adam Cunnington also went close when his long range effort was pushed away by Blackmore.
Seven minutes from time, Hill’s shot was handballed by a defender and from the penalty spot, he scored Hitchin’s second goal.
The best moment of the game was in the 88th minute, when Hill’s 30-yard effort sailed over Blackmore.
Hitchin: Perks, Childs, Spinks, Frater, L.Gentle-King, Lamacraft, Hill, Okai, Stevenson, Cunnington, Ducket Subs used: Cretton, L’Honore