Positive Response After Setback

The red’s arrived in Hitchin with last weeks’ defeat still in the front of their minds, and still missing important personnel, including strikers Alan Clarke and Alex Robinson, you could have forgiven a slight lack in confidence. This wasn’t helped when the home side started strongly, with plenty of early possession in the first 5 minutes. Town had begun to push up the pitch however and thought they had opened the scoring for the first time this season when Dean Pierce tucked Will Maddens short corner just inside the post, only for the goal to be disallowed as the ball had not travelled 5 yards before entering the D.

The opener did come for town however. A well won short corner routing between Mike Crowson, Robert Maidment and Chris Madden, put Town ahead, Madden with the final strike. It looked like town would extend their lead, a majority of their attacks falling short just outside the area. The Home side took full advantage of town’s missed chances, a sleek counter attack lead to a powerful shot from just inside the area, running past the stranded Luton keeper. The visitors did not much like being on level terms however, and a fabulous break down the left hand side by Frazer Smith assisted a first goal of the season for Dean Pierce, who directed the ball at the back post from a tight angle, which deflected in off the helpless keepers heels to give town a 2-1 half time lead for the third time in 4 matches this season.

Half Time Score: Blueharts 1-2 Luton Town

The second half commenced much the same as the first had ended, with the visitors with a majority of possession and seemingly in control without really threatening the Blueharts goal. That was until town broke through the blue’s stronghold and amid chaos in the penalty area Frazer Smith shot into an unguarded goal, only to hear the whistle blow for a penalty corner. Disappointment for Smith turned to jubilation for town as Mike Crowson took the ball from the top of the D, shuffling past challenges to the Penalty Spot from where he struck towns third, allowing a small amount of consolation for the hapless Frazer.

The game had begun to slow at this point with town’s tired legs starting to show, but any thoughts of consolidating their 2 goal lead were washed away when a Blueharts shot got caught between keeper Thomas Briggs’ feet before trickling agonizingly over the line. Briggs had been relatively untroubled in the Red’s goal but he was soon making up for his error, making a smart save from a short corner. As the game went on still more drama was unfolding, Chris Madden thinking that he had scored his second goal from a short corner, only to have the third goal of the day disallowed, a short corner having already been awarded. Down the other end it was Madden in the mix once again, both him and Mike Crowson receiving green cards for dissent, having both pleaded the case for a free hit due to dangerous play. With that in mind the visitors felt incredibly aggrieved that their hosts weren’t down to 10 men, Damian Hayward’s speedy run forwards was ended when he was stopped by 2 bad challenges, the first missing whilst the second brought him heavily to the floor.

It was a strong senior hockey debut for George Ball who nearly received a card himself for multiple contacts with the opposition. Town were beginning to drop deep and were giving the ball away more than they would like, but they were very stubborn and the home side could not penetrate the wall of red and town held on for a second win of the season to put them fourth, moving ahead of their opposition and into their highest position so far.

Final Score Blueharts 2-3 Luton Town

Man Of The Match: Mike Crowson