Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 1 Frome Town 3

Saturday, October 8 2011

A best of the season crowd of 542 saw the Canaries beaten by newly promoted Frome Town at Top Field.

Highlights

8 – Frendo scores from close range after good work by Lewis, Burke and Lee 1-0

10- Miller is brought down by Leach for a penalty. Brigham levels from the spot 1-1
23- A defensive mix-up ends with Bennison rounding Bennett to score 1-2

85- Leach handballs in the area and Brigham nets his second penalty 1-3


Frome burst the bubble of optimism that has been building in recent weeks at Top Field, making it two successive defeats for the Canaries.

A big crowd had piled into Top Field hoping for a rousing Hitchin performance. But a tepid display did little to cheer the crowd, despite the Canaries taking an early lead.

John  Frendo netted after just eight minutes, finishing from close range after good interplay between Ieuan Lewis, Zak Burke and Louis Lee. The latter’s shot was blocked by Frome defender Ryan Bennett, but Frendo was on hand to score.

Hitchin barely got used to the idea of being in front for Frome levelled just two minutes later. Marc Leach brought down Kris Miller and from the penalty spot, Josh Brigham confidently powered his kick past Martin Bennett. 

Hitchin had two chances to regain the upper hand, a header from Laurie Stewart and a shot from Zak Burke. But in the 23rd minute, disaster struck when a defensive mix-up between Jack Nelly and Bennett resulted in Shaun Bennison rounding the Canaries keeper and walking the ball home.

Hitchin pleas for a penalty when Frendo went down in the area were ignored by the referee just before the interval. And into the second period, Frendo was again involved in another claim for a spot-kick.

The second half was not good for the Canaries, however. They survived an early scare as Frome looked to add to their lead and it wasn’t until past the hour mark when Mitchell Cole and Lewis both went close.

Frome wrapped things up five minutes from time when Leach handballed and Brigham scored his second penalty of the afternoon. Two penalties and a slip-up. In the Premier, you get cruelly punished for your mistakes.

The teams

Hitchin: Bennett, Pepper, Leach, Stewart, Nelly (Gilbert 72), Lee (Edgerley 55), Lewis, Gregson, Burke, Frendo, Cole (Arlick 72)
Subs not used: Fontenelle, Anderson


Goal: Frendo 8



Frome: Chitty, Brigham, T.Evans, Flockton, Bennett, Smith, Miller, D.Evans, Bennison (Lapham 86), Perrot (Plummer 80), Thomson (Tooze 80)

Subs not used: Reaney, Quelch


Goals: Brigham 10 (pen), 85 (pen), Bennison 23

Referee: E.Goodman
Assistants: V.Byatt, M.Holmes



Attendance: 542

Photo by Martyn Annetts

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