Hitchin Town 2-1 Redditch United: Report by Pipeman, photographs by Peter Else

The Canaries notched up another significant victory over a higher placed team and it provided adequate recompense for the 0-3 reverse in the FA Trophy tie played in October. It was a very close game, with Hitchin needing to defend in depth against a late rally.

The hosts named an unchanged starting eleven from the one that recorded the best win of the season over Mickleover. The substitutes' bench contained George Joyce, Dempsey Thomas and new signing Emmanuel Adeyemo, who made his debut in the second half.

Redditch came to Top Field with an impressive away record and soon displayed fine organisation and fluid play. There was no first minute goal, as on Saturday and for a quarter of an hour it was a tight contest.

An early shot from a lively Reece Flanagan cleared the crossbar but took a touch from Horlock for the corner. We are now accustomed to Hitchin's direct attacking approach, and this was in evidence with Bradley Bell sending in a fine cross and both Steve Cawley and Rio Dasilva encroaching into the Redditch penalty area. Steve Gleeson had some decent touches and his pass to Bell needed monitoring.

Hitchin Town 2-1 Redditch United: Report by Pipeman, photographs by Peter Else

Redditch, tonight playing in all light blue, attacked along the left with good play from Jerrell Sellars and Robbie Bunn, and Adulai Sambu put in a useful cross from the right. Max Sheaf's fine play earned a corner, followed by another that was defended by Lewis Barker. A cross from the diligent Ashley Hay saw Dasilva's intended shot firmly blocked and a free kick for Redditch was defended by Gleeson.

Play was delayed owing to an injury sustained by Sellars who had to be taken off on a stretcher and we hope that it is none too serious. The injury came from a tackle and the reaction of the Redditch players seemed to confirm that there was nothing malicious intended.

Redditch had a free kick that was quickly cleared for a Hitchin counterattack, and super play from Cawley and Hay saw Kieran Boucher parry Hay's shot, with the rebound falling fortuitously for Jack Snelus whose low shot put the Canaries into the lead after half an hour.

It was well understood that a team of Redditch's quality would soon seek recompense and before too long there was a blocked shot and then a fine effort from Reece Flanagan, held by Horlock.

Then Ashley Hay ran onto a loose forward ball and his assistance saw Dasilva's effort blocked, which was followed by Cawley firing wide from range. Redditch pressed and a Reece Flanagan shot brought a corner, which was defended at the expense of another, and this proved too much for Hitchin as Danny King finished well to make the scores level. This goal came with two minutes to go before the interval, plus stoppage time.

Hitchin Town 2-1 Redditch United: Report by Pipeman, photographs by Peter Else

This last spell was full of incident with Horlock palming away another corner, Snelus slicing a shot and a cross from Dasilva that found no-one in yellow and green. Then there was a rather strange back pass from Redditch, almost from the halfway line and from the Hitchin corner Barker's header was saved by Boucher. It had been an entertaining half.

The visitors resumed with serious intent and had a good attacking spell, with Ryan Boothe having a half chance and Sheaf fired wide after some tantalising play. Dasilva had another effort blocked and then Lewis Hudson got into the penalty area and Stan Georgiou, who had an outstanding game, was there to defend accurately. Hudson's menacing long throw was cleared by Dasilva, and it was clear that there was an edge to Redditch's play.

Danny King's persistence won a corner for Redditch, and although this was defended an awkward deflection needed Horlock to make a precise save. In an attack along the left flank, Hitchin won a free-kick, with Diogo Freitas-Gouveia shaping up. He may not have scored tonight but this perfect free kick was met robustly by Ashley Hay, whose emphatic header restored Hitchin's lead, one minute short of seventy.

Hay's work rate has been very impressive of late and I think all home fans were glad that he could add his name to the list of scorers tonight. It was expected that Redditch would seek redress and they certainly made the Hitchin defence work hard.

They also were awarded a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas. Reece Flanagan put one effort over the bar and then shot wide. Hudson's long throws caused all sorts of problems but Hitchin were obdurate and this unyielding attitude has been a characteristic of their play in recent games.

Stan Georgiou's timely intervention spoiled another chance for the visitors, and Boucher elected to take a free kick inside his own half and this connected with Max Sheaf whose effort only just cleared the cross bar. It seemed that Redditch were coming closer to the equaliser, and they pressed until the end.

As usual, time added on when your team is ahead, seems to last three times as long, or at least as long as a World Cup match, but all credit to Hitchin for keeping their composure to secure maximum points yet again. A perhaps significant statistic here is that in the last five games the Canaries have scored fourteen goals but have conceded ten – that Royston game accounting for four of them.

It is a much-improved strike rate but, Mickleover aside each encounter has been a close contest. Three of the wins have been against higher placed teams.

Hitchin Town 2-1 Redditch United: Report by Pipeman, photographs by Peter Else

Another significant mention is for the debut of Emmanuel Adeyemo whose first touches were admirable and indeed he had a fair chance of getting on the scoresheet with one move.

The moderate attendance, not unusual for a Monday night game, was well pleased with the Hitchin performance, one pretending to be grumpy that Freitas-Gouveia has now entered a goal drought of one game. It might be significant as well that in League games the solitary defeat was to Leiston who are second and indeed chasing promotion.

Saturday sees the maiden trip to Basford in Nottinghamshire, and we remember well the gruelling goal-less draw at Top Field in August. The 12.30 kick-off has been 'standardised' in order to accommodate a possible England match. We expect another gruelling encounter and of course hope that the current form may continue.

Hitchin actually rise to seventh in the table but again I will mention that other teams in this vicinity have games in hand. Even so there has been much to be thankful for in recent games, which have been characterised, as I have mentioned by exhilarating attacking football. More, please.

HITCHIN TOWN

Charlie Horlock, captain, Bradley Bell, cautioned, Stan Georgiou, this reporter's man of the match, Stephen Gleeson, Ciaren Jones, Lewis Barker, Diogo Freitas-Gouveia, (Josh Coldicott-Stevens), Rio Dasilva, Ashley Hay, GOAL, 69 minutes, Sponsors' star man, Stephen Cawley, (Emmanuel Adeyemo), Jack Snelus, GOAL, 30 minutes. Substitutes not used- Malaki Black, George Joyce and Dempsey Thomas.

REDDITCH UNITED

KieranBoucher, Adulai Sambu, Lewis Hudson, cautioned, Jerrell Sellars, (Luke Ward), Calum Flanagan, captain, cautioned, Ryan Wollacott, Reece Flanagan, Danny King, GOAL, 44 minutes Max Sheaf, Robbie Bunn, Ryan Boothe. Substitutes not used- Sam Rowbottom, GK, Murphy Culkin and Bernard Mensah Jnr.

Referee- Mr J Perry, assisted by Mr A Jackson and Mr B Morgan.

Attendance – 276

REPORT BY PIPEMAN