Hitchin Town 1-1 Hednesford: report by Piepman at Top Field. Photo by Peter Else

Hednesford may well be bottom of the League, but with a change of manager there have been signs of improvement and they came to Top Field knowing they were facing a team whose form has dipped and a glance at the records show that the Canaries have not won a league game since 29 August. As well as that before Saturday, only two home goals have been scored.

Having got that out of the way, it may be reported that this was the kind of game where both managers may well claim that their team ought to have won. As such it was an open, honest game that if not flamboyant was purposeful and clean.

Hitchin were delighted to announce that former player of the year, Ciaren Jones has been granted a month's loan from Brackley Town and he made a significant contribution. News of Jack Morrell is that he is due for an operation and is thus ruled out for probably the rest of the season. Kye Tearle is bruised and rested and ought to be back soon.

It was sunny and breezy at Top Field and the majority of the almost 500 attendance hoped for good things. The hosts could not be faulted for effort and enterprise, since they attacked immediately, but soon found that their visitors had their own agenda and did the same, with a good move from Kyle Bennett and Lewis Ludford -Ison that saw this first chance clear the crossbar.

Steve Cawley was soon involved with his well-known ability to hold the ball up and lay off passes, and Malaki Black showed an attacking willingness on the left flank. After a Hednesford corner was cleared, there was a counterattack inspired by Black but defended resolutely. A corner from the Pitmen was cleared by Josh Coldicott-Stevens and following a free-kick Wilkinson started a move that was broken down until Cawley again picked up and clearly stumbled, the referee correctly ignoring appeals for a foul.

Bradley Bell afforded this opportunity owing to Tearle's injury had a remarkably good game until injury forced his substitution, with Stan Georgiou's filling the bill. Bell's forward move won a corner that saw a Cawley intended shot blocked and Toby Syme's earnest follow-up struck Leroy Lita. Hitchin were indeed getting into their stride since they were unwittingly permitted more freedom on the ball that recent opponents have allowed and indeed, they did look as if they had a goal in them.

But the potential is not always fulfilled that easily and in this half there were some misses that might well have proved to be more expensive.

A fine move involving Jones, Black and Hay saw the Pitmen's goalkeeper read it right and snuff out the challenge. Hednesford responded well with Lita firing in an on target shot that Horlock held. There were a considerable number of long balls, but many were accurate passes, and some used to switch play.

JCS was fouled on a run and looked decidedly uncomfortable after the challenge and within minutes he was substituted by Rio Dasilva who turned in a performance good enough to be the Sponsors' man of the match. Bell continued to impress and his shot was only just over the bar. The best chance for a goal in this half for the visitors came from a magnificent solo run in possession from Joe Cuff whose eventual shot was held by Horlock.

A cross from the ever-eager Black, intended for Wilkinson was only just defended for a corner, taken by Gleeson but claimed by Tiernan Brooks. Hitchin were now looking the sharper of the two sides, but the goal needed was stubbornly resisted. Adam Livingstone, lively and bold crossed to Todd Parker, but Horlock neatly intervened.

Then, oh lordy, we almost had a goal when Cawley, Bell and Black combined and the last named sent in a precise shot but it was just wide of the far post, representing Hitchin's best chance so far. Just as good was Wilkinson's effort that looked good but Brooks did really well to tip this one just over the bar. Bell was at it again with a fine incursion but a corner was the scant reward. If Hitchin could have capitalised on these opportunities they may well have won this game comfortably.

But at the other end there was an opportunity for the visitors with Livingstone sending in a smart cross for a Parker header that went wide. The desire for a goal before the interval was almost accomplished and really should have been when Bell's delicate pass in the area fell neatly to Ashley Hay who somehow sent his chance wide of the far post. He ought to have scored and the miss was indeed mystifying. Thus we reached the interval with no goals.

During the interval I recalled a much earlier visit to Hednesford in my Dunstable days. The Pitmen had some gallivanting supporters who boasted that from each club they visited they returned with a 'trophy', which in bald terms means they nicked an ash tray here, a snooker cue there or some such trifle, which by was kept surreptitiously in a cabinet. Harmless fun, yes, but on this occasion one of them relieved me of an unguarded pipe.

I was a little aggrieved and on the return visit I mentioned the sleight of hand and asked if they could return my pipe, which happened to be quite an expensive one I had bought in Denmark. A sympathetic club official tipped me the wink and he assured me he could locate the article. He returned a few minutes later and told me that 'some rotten sod has nicked it.' Oh well, you lose a few and well, lose a few more.

My main concern today was that the Pitmen did not nick a win, which was always a possibility. Hitchin had been marginally the better side, but that all important opening goal was still denied them. Cawley and Dasilva combined and the ball was hooked in invitingly and Brooks conceded a corner, from which Syme dragged his shot wide. Nesbitt and Livingstone sent in lofty crosses that Horlock was equal to and a fine move from Cuff brought a corner.

Then there was the Barker foul on the left, level with the penalty area. He ought to have avoided the challenge but LB just cannot help his combative style. It occurred to me that a goal may well come from a set piece and thus it did with Kyle Bennett's free kick sailing straight into the goal without anyone else touching it. The argument that, after fifty-six minutes it was a little against the run of play and we can trot out the weary view that it is all about taking your opportunities. It was a decent goal and the Pitmen may well have had visions of a second league win.

After all their hard work, Hitchin were behind and a sense of injustice was plainly felt. But, as we all know and have experienced many times, the relief a team feels about snatching a lead may bring about an immediate lapse of concentration and after one minute the Canaries were level, with an attack that brought a couple of blocked shots and then a goal. A goal at Top Field, rarer than we are comfortable with. But who scored it?

The announcer credited Malaki Black but after the game, Pete Else, our photographer and occasional programme columnist told me that, without doubt it had been an own goal, scored by Ben Bailey. I hope there is a video to confirm this, but whoever scored it does not matter since it brought Hitchin back from the brink and restored their confidence somewhat.

It served to liven the game up a notch or two and it was clear that both teams felt a point apiece was not enough, which made for some exciting moments. Hednesford forced two corners and Cuff curled a shot just over the bar. LB tried a shot from range that was not his best effort and Dasilva had a lot of the ball and created possibilities. His next shot was saved by Brooks.

Bell had a run and in being dispossessed he picked up an injury and was replaced by Stan Georgiou. Hednesford timed their raids and for my money finished the stronger side. But even so Hay had a golden chance and time for a free shot which he forced straight at Brooks. With both teams almost claiming a right to maximum points they slogged out the remaining time with equal opportunities, but it ended a draw and a point is of much value to both teams.

A curious statistic is that all four draws so far this season have occurred at Top Field. The team now has the daunting prospect of no fewer than four successive away games in the league, beginning at leaders Tamworth next week. They can look back on today as a performance that showed an improved attacking performance, which augurs well.

Interrupting this sequence of away league games is the rearranged fixture for Saturday 29 October when we entertain Potters Bar Town in the next round of the Hertfordshire Senior Cup.

Hitchin Town

Charlie Horlock, captain, Bradley Bell, mentioned in dispatches, (Stanley Georgiou), Malaki Black, Toby Syme, Lewis Barker, Ciaren Jones, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, (Rio Dasilva, sponsors' man of the match), Stephen Gleeson, Ashley Hay, (Diogo Freitas- Gouveia), Stephen Cawley, Finley Wilkinson. Substitutes not used- Leon Chambers-Parillon, Jack Snelus.

Hednesford Town

Tiernan Brooks, Lewis Ludford-Ison, Adam Livingstone, Ben Bailey, OWN GOAL, 57 MINUTES, Keith Lowe, Christopher Clemente's, (Luke Rowe), joe Cuff, opposition star man, Todd Parker, Leroy Lita, Kyle Bennett, GOAL, 56 MINUTES, Ryan Nesbitt. (Obinna Anaebonam). Substitutes not used- Martin Riley, James McQuilkin, Aaron Clayton.

Referee – Mr L Torz-Brown, assisted by Mr D Carney and Mr T Burns.

Attendance 481

REPORT BY PIPEMAN