Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 5 Aylesbury United 1

Saturday, December 5 2009

Canaries manager Colin Payne predicted that someone would be on the receiving end of a deluge one day and it was perhaps predictable that it might be a team that has conceded on average four goals a game.

Without wishing to be patronising to Aylesbury, the scoreline flattered Hitchin and didn’t reflect the amount of effort put in by the bealeagured Ducks. This wasn’t a vintage performance by the Canaries, but it was enough to send them a point clear at the top of the table.

The first half suggested one-way traffic, with the Hitchin forwards peppering the Aylesbury goal with shots and crosses, but it was a frustrating half for the home fans.

Hitchin unveiled new signings Tom Pepper and Harry Hunt  - the latter possessing a name that sounded like it could have been on the Canaries’ team sheet in the 1930s – but it was Zak Burke and Jamie Arlick who went close to scoring early on.

The first goal came in the 22nd minute, in slightly bizarre circumstances. Arlick was set free down the flank, he cut inside and sent a shot crashing against the crossbar. The ball rebounded, hit Ieuan Lewis and rolled into the net.

But for saves by Jack Sillitoe, Tony Fontenelle and Burke would have added to Hitchin’s lead before the break. Aylesbury started to come more into the game either side of the interval, with Gary Wharton going close with shots that went wide.

Hitchin shook off their malaise in the 62nd minute when Lewis shot home from close range after good work by Burke.

It was a the prelude to burst of scoring  in the final 13 minutes. First, in the 77th minute, substitute Jeff Hammond played the ball through to Arlick and he shot low into the net. Two minutes later, Arlick headed his second following a Carl Williams free kick.

Four minutes from time, Hitchin netted again, Hammond latched onto Arlick’s hooked pass, taking advantage of some hesitancy in the visitor’s defence and shot past Sillitoe.

Aylesbury had the last word, however, a 90th minute bullet header by Matt Ansell from Keith Newby’s corner kick.

Hitchin Town (1)5 Aylesbury United (0)1
1-0 Lewis 22 mins
2-0 Lewis 62 mins
3-0 Arlick 77 mins
4-0 Arlick 79 mins
5-0 Hammond 86 mins
5-1 Ansell 90 mins

Hitchin: Bennett, Fontenelle, Pepper, Williams, Lee, Gilbert (Smith h/t), Lewis, L.Donnelly, Arlick, Hunt ( Hammond 64), Burke (Pemberton 72)
Aylesbury: Sillitoe, James (Parsons 63), Ayodele (Silvestre 75), Hart, Ansell, Nash, O’Grady, Newby, Wharton, Harewood-Williams (Miah 67), Taylor (Miah)

Attendance: 327 (20 from Aylesbury)
Referee: T.Kelly