8th SEPTEMBER  BUNTINGFORD COUGARS BLUE WON 3-2

HITCHIN GOT OFF TO A BAD START BY GOING 2 GOALS DOWN AT BUNTINGFORD EARLY IN THE GAME  BUT HITCHIN SOON RALLIED AND BROUGHT THE SCORES LEVEL BY HALF TIME WITH GOALS FROM ADAM AND MATTEO. HITCHIN HAD MUCH MORE CONTROL OF THE GAME  IN THE SECOND HALF AND TOOK THE LEAD WITH ADAM'S SECOND GOAL HITCHIN SPENT MUCH OF THE SECOND HALF PUSHING FOR A FORTH GOAL AND RESTRICTING BUNTINGFORD TO SPORADIC ATTACKS . A SPECIAL MENTION TO CONNOR FOR HIS FIRST EVER GAME PLAYED IN THE DIFFICULT POSITION OF GOALIE

15Tth SEPTEMBER BALDOCK TEMPLERS LOST 6-4 

AFTER TAKING A 3-0 LEAD VERY EARLY ON HITCHIN FOUND THEMSELVES LEVEL AT HALF TIME CONCEDING 3 GOALS JUST AS QUICKLY AS THEY HAD SCORED THERE OWN .HITCHIN FELL ONE BEHIND RIGHT AT THE START OF THE SECOND HALF, AND HAVING NO ANSWER TO BALDOCK DIRECT RUNNING  SOON CONCEDED A FIFTH .HITCHIN MANAGED TO GET THE SCORE BACK TO 5-4 BUT BALDOCK ADDED A LATE SIXTH GOAL FOR A DESERVED VICTORY. THIS WAS A GREAT GAME TO WATCH BUT I'M SURE BOTH MANAGERS WILL WANT TO TIGHTEN UP THEIR DEFENCES BEFORE THEY MEET NEXT TIME . MARK,ADAM AND CIAN (2) WERE THE HITCHIN SCORERS

22nd SEPTEMBER LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES BLUE WON 3-2

JUST LIKE THEIR OPENING GAME HITCHIN FELL 2-0 DOWN , WITH  LETCHWORTH STRIKING  DIRECT FROM A FREE KICK AND A HEADED  OWN GOAL FROM A CORNER .ALTHOUGH 2-0 DOWN HITCHIN WERE COMPETING WELL AND LOOKED TO STILL BE IN THE GAME . IN THE SECOND HALF A LETCHWORTH OWN GOAL PUT HITCHIN BACK IN THE GAME  AND A CIAN EQUALISER SOON FOLLOWED WITH TIME RUNNING OUT AND BOTH TEAMS PUSHING FOR A WINNER IT WAS HITCHIN'S GAME WITH CIAN FOLLOWING UP TO SCORE AFTER A GREAT SAVE FROM THE IMPRESSIVE LETCHWORTH GOALIE. THIS WAS A PLEASING PERFORMANCE AS HITCHIN GOT A RESULT AGAINST AN EXCELLENT LETCHWORTH TEAM WITH BOTH TEAMS PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL OF ABILITY AND COMMITMENT.

29th SEPTEMBER LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES WHITE WON 4-0

HITCHIN TOOK A 2-0 HALF TIME LEAD WITH GOALS FROM ADAM AND MARK IN THIS HASTILY ARRANGED GAME.  I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY THE HITCHIN DEFENDERS DEALT WITH THE EXCELLENT WHITE'S FORWARD AND WITH MATTEO ADDING 2 GOALS IN THE SECOND HALF HITCHIN WON WITH THEIR FIRST CLEAN SHEET OF THE SEASON

6th OCTOBER STOTFOLD JUNIORS A WON 5-3

HITCHIN WON THEIR 4th GAME OF THE SEASON WITH FINE  DISPLAY AT STOTFOLD . HITCHIN WERE 3-0 UP AT HALF TIME WITH GOALS FROM MARK AND 2 FROM MATTEO. HITCHIN ADDED 2 MORE GOALS IN THE SECOND HALF 1 FROM ADAM AND MATTEO COMPLETING HIS HAT RICK.  HITCHIN ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A LOT TIGHTER AT THE BACK AFTER GIVING THREE SOFT GOALS AWAY TO STOTFOLD DURING THE HALF BUT THEY ARE PLAYING SOME GREAT FOOTBALL AND CAN BE VERY HAPPY WITH ALL THE EFFORT THEY ARE PUTTING IN AT TRAINING AND PERFORMING ON MATCH DAYS. ITS BEEN A GREAT START TO THE SEASON.

13th OCTOBER ST NEOTS TOWN YOUTH A  WON 4-2

HITCHIN  WON A FORTH GAME IN A ROW  AT ICKLEFORD ON SATURDAY . AFTER TRAILING  4-0 AT HALF TIME  ST NEOTS STRENGTHENED THEIR TEAM FOR THE SECOND HALF AND ALTHOUGH THEY PULLED TWO GOALS BACK HITCHIN ALWAYS LOOKED LIKELY  TO SCORE A FIFTH  AND RAN OUT COMFORTABLE WINNERS

2Oth OCTOBER ROYSTON TOWN COLTS A  LOST 1-0

HITCHIN LOST THEIR SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON AT ROYSTON ON SATURDAY BY A SCORE OF 1-0 AND ALTHOUGH THE SCORE SEEMS TO MAKE IT5 A CLOSE GAME HITCHIN WERE LUCKY TO GET NIL . HITCHIN CAME ONLY CLOSE TO SCORING IN THE FIRST HALF WITH A CROSS THAT PASSED RIGHT ACROSS THE GOAL MOUTH BUT NO ONE WAS THERE TO GET A FINAL TOUCH ON THE BALL. FOR MOST OF THE GAME HITCHIN STRUGGLED TO GET ANY DECENT POSSESSION AND WHEN THEY HAD THEY THE BALL  DID NOT WORRY THE WELL ORGANISED ROYTON DEFENCE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS A DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE HITCHIN LEARNED THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE MUCH BETTER OFF THE BALL TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF GAMES AGAINST WELL ORGANIZED TEAMS IN THE FUTURE

3rd NOVEMBER  BISHOPS STORTFORD A DREW 1-1

HITCHIN DREW FOR A SECOND TIME THIS SEASON AGAINST A KEEN BISHOPS STORTFORD TEAM AT ICKLEFORD ON SATURDAY. HITCHIN TOOK THE LEAD IN THE FIRST HALF WITH AN OWN GOAL HITCHIN THEN CAME OUT FOR THE SECOND HALF HOPING TO HAVE A BIT MORE POSSESSION AND SHOW MORE GUILE BUT WERE FORCED BACK BY BISHOPS STORTFORD WHO GOT A MUCH DESERVED EQUALISER  AND WERE UNLUCKY NOT TO GET A WINNING GOAL . FOR THE SECOND WEEK RUNNING HITCHIN HAVE PUT IN A LACKLUSTRE PERFORMANCE AND ARE GOING TO HAVE WORK HARD TO IMPROVE THEIR GAME.

10th NOVEMBER ARLESEY TOWN YOUTH A WON 2-0

HITCHIN FOUND A BIT OF FORM AFTER A COUPLE OF POOR GAMES AND RAN OUT 2-0 WINNERS AT ARLESEY ON SATURDAY . THIS WAS A HARD FOUGHT GAME IN WHICH HITCHIN HAD TO DEFEND WELL AND SHOW ABILITY TO MOVE THE BALL QUICKLY ON THE SMALL ARLESEY PITCH . A FIST HALF GOAL FROM DAVID FROM A WELL WORKED CORNER  AND A LATE WELL TAKEN GOAL FROM ADAM GAVE HITCHIN A WELL DESERVED WIN . I THINK THAT IF HITCHIN WILL HAVE LEARNT THAT YOU CAN WIN GAMES ONLY IF YOU GIVE YOUR FULL EFFORT AND ARE SOUND IN YOUR APPLICATION OF THE BASICS , IF YOU DO THIS THE REST OF YOUR GAME  WILL FOLLOW. 

17th NOVEMBER STEVENAGE BORO A LOST 8-0

THE GREENS RECEIVED THEIR WORST DEFEAT OF THE SEASON AT HOME TO A VERY STRONG STEVENAGE SIDE AT ICKLEFORD AND  WITH HITCHIN HAVING TO PUT OUT AN INEXPERIENCED SIDE THIS WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A TOUGH GAME  AND SO THIS PROVED TO BE .  I THOUGHT THAT ALTHOUGH UP AGAINST IT FOR MOST OF THE MATCH HITCHIN SHOWED THAT THEY HAVE DEFINITELY IMPROVED AND HAVE CERTAINLY GOT SOMETHING TO BUILD ON.

1st DECEMBER KNEBWORTH CHEETAHS A LOST 6-0

FOR THE SECOND WEEK RUNNING THE GREENS SUFFERED A HEAVY DEFEAT BUT UNLIKE LAST WEEK HITCHIN OFFERED LITTLE RESISTANCE TO A KNEBWORTH TEAM WHO MOVED THE BALL MUCH MORE URGENTLY THAN HITCHIN COULD . ALTHOUGH ONLY 1-0 DOWN AT HALF TIME AND STILL IN THE GAME  THE SECOND HALF WAS A DIFFERENT STORY WITH KNEBWORTH LAYING SIEGE TO HITCHIN'S GOAL  AND HITCHIN SHOWING LITTLE DESIRE TO GET BACK INTO THE GAME . THIS WAS DEFIANTLY THE GREENS WORST PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON AND ALTHOUGH LIKE LAST WEEK IT WAS NOT THE STRONGEST SIDE THAT HITCHIN COULD PUT OUT THE BOYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK MUCH HARDER AGAINST GOOD SIDES WHO ARE GOING PUNISH POOR PERFORMANCES

8th  DECEMBER SHEFFORD SAINTS A WON 4-0

HITCHIN GOT BACK TO WINNING WAYS WITH TWO GOALS IN EACH HALF AT SHEFFORD ON SATURDAY . AN HAT RICK FROM CIAN AND MATTEO'S SEVENTH GOAL OF THE SEASON WON THE GAME FOR HITCHIN . THE GAME WAS PLAYED IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS AND I THINK BOTH TEAMS WERE HAPPY TO GET HOME OUT OF THE COLD .

15th DECMBER  BUNTINGFORD COUGARS BLUE WON 2-0

THE GREENS WON THEIR LAST GAME BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2-0 THANKS TO TWO SECOND HALF GOALS FROM CIAN AND ADAM . THE GREENS COULD NOT SCORE IN THE FIRST HALF BUT CAME OUT IN THE SECOND HALF TO PUT IN A MUCH MORE FLUID DISPLAY AND MADE IT HARD WHILE RESTRICTING  BUNTING FORD TO SPORADIC ATTACKS ON THE HITCHIN GOAL . THIS WAS A GOOD TEAM DISPLAY FROM HITCHIN WITH EVERYONE KEEPING THEIR SHAPE AND MAKING IT HARD FOR BUNTING FORD TO PLAY

.12th JANUARY  BALDOCK TEMPLERS WON 3-1

HITCHIN WON THEIR FIRST GAME OF 2008 3-1 AWAY AT BALDOCK . AFTER BEING 1-0 DOWN AT HALF TIME HITCHIN WON CONVINCINGLY WITH 3 WELL TAKEN SECOND HALF GOALS . CIAN SCORED FIRST WITH A HEADER DIRECT FRO MARKS CORNER AND A FURTHER TWO GOALS WERE ADDED BY ADAM . THIS WAS A VERY GOOD PERFORMANCE FROM HITCHIN WHO RESTRICTED BALDOCK TO FEW CHANCES AND IT WAS HITCHIN WHO LOOKED MORE LIKELY TO SCORE

.19th JANUARY   LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES BLUE LOST 4-0

HITCHIN LOST  TO LETCHWORTH 4-0 AT PIMORE ON A WET SATURDAY MORNING. HITCHIN COMPETED WELL IN THIS GAME AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE 3-0 DOWN AT HALF TIME FELT THAT THEY WERE STILL IN THE GAME.  HITCHIN PUSHED HARD IN THE SECOND HALF BUT MIDWAY  THROUGH THE HALF LETCHWORTH ADDED A FORTH AND RAN OUT WORTHY WINNERS . THIS WAS MAYBE THE BEST PERFORMANCE FROM ANY SIDE THAT WE HAVE PLAYED AGAINST THIS SEASON AND WAS TO OUR CREDIT THAT WE MANAGED TO CREATE A FEW CHANCES AND  TO PUT THE LETCHWORTH DEFENCE UNDER A BIT OF PRESSURE DURING THE GAME

16th FEBRUARY ST NEOTS TOWN YOUTH A DREW 2-2

AFTER A POOR FIRST HALF IN WHICH HITCHIN FOUND THEMSELVES 2-0 DOWN SECOND HALF REVIVAL SAW HITCHIN PUT IN A FINE PERFORMANCE TO GET A 2-2 DRAW  HITCHIN FELL BEHIND TO TWO SOFT GOALS BOTH OF WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED AND ALTHOUGH HITCHIN HAD TWO EFFORTS CLEARED OFF THE LINE WERE STRUGGLING TO GET INTO THE GAME.  A SECOND HALF RESHUFFLE SAW HITCHIN WITH A MUCH BETTER SHAPE AND THEY SOON PULLED LEVEL AFTER DOMINATING THE EARLY PART OF THE HALF. BOTH TEAMS THEN PUSHED FOR A WINNER BUT THE FINAL RESULT WAS A GOOD REFLECTION OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FIELD

23rd FEBRUARY ROYSTON TOWN COLTS A  DREW 1-1

HITCHIN DREW FOR THE SECOND WEEK RUNNING AGAINST ON SATURDAY AT ICKLEFORD.  HITCHIN FAILED TO CREATE ANY CHANCES IN A VERY CLOSELY FOUGHT FIRST HALF BUT CAME OUT FOR THE SECOND HALF AND TOOK THE GAME TO ROYSTON .HITCHIN GOT THE GOAL THEY DESERVED WHEN ADAM FINISHED FROM CLOSE RANGE    .  FOR THE SECOND WEEK RUNNING HITCHIN CONCEDED A SOFT GOAL BUT ONCE AGAIN THIS WAS A FAIR REFLECTION OF THE GAME

1st MARCH LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES BLACK LOST 1-0

THIS WAS A POOR PERFORMANCE FROM HITCHIN WHO WERE OUTPLAYED AND GIVEN A LESSON IN CONCENTRATION AND APPLICATION BY THE EAGLES . THE EAGLES TOOK A WELL DESERVED FIRST HALF LEAD AND DESPITE A FAIR BIT OF POSSESSION HITCHIN BARELY TROUBLED THE EAGLES KEEPER WITH THE EAGLES DEFENCE PLAYING REALLY WELL GIVEN NOTHING AWAY . HITCHIN ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT HOW TO TURN POSSESSION INTO GOAL SCORING CHANCES  AND TO CONCENTRATE FOR THE WHOLE GAME IF THEY ARE GOING TO KICK ON TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF FOOTBALL AND COMPETE WITH EVERY TEAM THEY COME UP AGAINST.

8th MARCH BISHOPS STORTFORD A WON 5-1

HITCHIN PUT IN A BETTER PERFORMANCE THIS WEEK AND AFTER A LONG TRIP TO STORTFORD HITCHIN TOOK A EASY 4-0 HALF TIME LEAD INCLUDING MARK SCORING DIRECT FROM A CORNER . HITCHIN MADE A FEW CHANGES IN THE SECOND HALF AND AFTER ADDING A FIFTH GOAL WHICH WAS ADAMS HATRICK  HITCHIN  CONCEDED STORTFORDS ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME .  THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE GAMES THEY HAVE PLAYED IN BUT THE PERFORMANCE WAS MUCH BETTER THEN THE WEEK BEFORE 

15th MARCH ARLESEY TOWN YOUTH A  DREW 2-2

THIS WAS A VERY GOOD COMPETITIVE MATCH  HITCHIN TOOK A EARLY LEAD WITH MATTEO SCORING FROM HITCHIN'S FIRST ATTACK , MAYBE HITCHIN SHOULD HAVE ADDED TO THEIR TOTAL  BEFORE HALF TIME ARRIVED WITH THE SCORE STILL AT 1-0 . ARLSEY CAME OUT PUSHING HARD AT THE START OF THE SECOND HALF AND SOON FORCED AN OWN GOAL WITH A LOT OF PRESSURE BEING PUT ON THE HITCHIN DEFENCE.  ARLSEY THEN QUICKLY TOOK THE LEAD BUT HITCHIN SOON PULLED LEVEL WITH A FINE EFFORT FROM ADAM . THIS LEFT BOTH TEAMS LOOKING FOR A WINNER BUT THE GAME FINISHED AT 2-2 . ONCE AGAIN HITCHIN WERE SECOND BEST IN THE EFFORT GIVEN BUT IM SURE WE CAN WORK ON THIS AND IMPROVE OUR GAME  20% 

5th APRIL KNEBWORTH CHEETAHS A  LOST 4-1

THIS IS OUR FIRST REPORT RECEIVED BY PHONE .  AFTER SOME REORGANIZATION AT HALF TIME THE HITCHIN SIDE PERFORMED  MUCH BETTER AND DID THEMSELVES SOME JUSTICE WITH A SPIRITED DISPLAY FROM THE BOYS . A SPECIAL MENTION IS DESERVED BY DAVID WHO VOLUNTEERED TO GO IN GOAL FOR THE SECOND HALF ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A 4-0 DEFEAT THE MANAGER WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE WAY THE BOYS RESPONDED TO HIS REQUESTS AND THEIR ALL ROUND BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDE

12TH APRIL SHEFFORD SAINTS A

AFTER CONCEDING AN EARLY GOAL TO A DEFENSIVE MISTAKE  HITCHIN RAN OUT 9-1 WINNERS WITH A DISPLAY OF PASSING FOOTBALL THAT THE BOYS HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ACHIEVE ALL SEASON . GOALS FROM CIAN, ADAM, MARK AND OLLIE GAVE HITCHIN THE  WIN 

19TH APRIL ROYSTON CROW UNDER 8 TOURNAMENT

HITCHIN MANAGED TO PROGRESS THROUGH TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE CROW TOURNAMENT BY WINNING THEIR GROUP AND BEING UNDEFEATED  WITH TWO WINS AND A DRAW  . HITCHIN WON THE FIRST GAME AGAINST STOTFOLD 2-0  AND THEIR SECOND GAME AGAINST POTTON 1-0 WITH ADAM SCORING THREE TIMES . THE LAST GAME WAS A 0-0 DRAW AGAINST BISHOPS STORTFORD WHICH MEANT THAT HITCHIN WON THE GROUP ON GOAL DIFFERENCE.