Gloucester City 1 Hitchin Town 1 NEIL JENSEN reports IT was certainly an ill wind that blew through Gloucester on Saturday as two teams tried to get to grips with the first difficult conditions of the season. Some Hitchin fans shook their heads, claiming

Gloucester City 1 Hitchin Town 1

NEIL JENSEN reports

IT was certainly an ill wind that blew through Gloucester on Saturday as two teams tried to get to grips with the first difficult conditions of the season.

Some Hitchin fans shook their heads, claiming that a draw was two points lost, but although their team had led at half-time, the result was a fair one.

Such was the strength of the wind that it was several minutes before either team managed to break out of midfield.

Gloucester had the first chances, full-back Jon Miller shooting wide. Miller also went close when he forced Michael Parkin into a good save after 15 minutes.

Chris Dillon was the big danger to Gloucester, shooting wide after breaking clear and then missing a gilt-edged chance.

It was Dillon who gave Hitchin the lead after 40 minutes finishing, at the second attempt, after good work by Wayne Mills and Daniel French.

The second half was equally wind affected. Although Hitchin had the force of nature behind them, they were unable to make it count and if anything, Gloucester were the better side.

After an hour they equalised, substitute James Tustain heading home from a corner.

But Hitchin could have won the game. A series of crosses went close to finding the net but the best chances fell to Gavin Jaggard.

In the 77th minute, he found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat but blasted high and wide.

If that had gone in, Hitchin would probably have secured their third consecutive win.

Canaries: Parkin, Pugh, Ducket, Hammonds, Folds, Deeney, Williams, Ross (Frater 80), Dillon, Mills (Jaggard 59), French.