MARCUS CRAWLEY reports HITCHIN Town has one hand on the Southern League Cup. Darren Salton s side won 1-0 at Top Field in the first leg of the Errea Cup final against Bromsgrove Rovers on Tuesday night. The Division One (West) visitors could probably feel

MARCUS CRAWLEY reports

HITCHIN Town has one hand on the Southern League Cup.

Darren Salton's side won 1-0 at Top Field in the first leg of the Errea Cup final against Bromsgrove Rovers on Tuesday night.

The Division One (West) visitors could probably feel aggrieved to have been beaten and the second leg in the Midlands on Tuesday, April 25, will be no formality.

Salton said: "It's great for the supporters that we have a chance of winning something. We have one hand on the cup but no more.

"I was pleased with the 1-0 result. Bromsgrove had one up front and packed the midfield.

"We upped the tempo in the second half and our defending was really good throughout the game.

"I thought Stuart Hammonds and Liam Folds were excellent and Glen Lamacraft did so much running in the midfield for us."

A first minute shot from Daniel French which was well held by Lee Evans was not a prelude of things to come. Heavy rain started to fall and the overhead conditions matched the dourness of the onfield action.

Hitchin were struggling to clear their lines and Richard Wilmot was glad to gather when Neil Davis threatened at the near post.

Bromsgrove thought they had broken the deadlock on 32 minutes when Kevin Banner slotted under Wilmot at the back post. But a flag raised for offside halted their celebrations.

A rare Hitchin threat saw Evans push the ball round the post when Gavin Jaggard got on the end of a David Hicks free-kick.

And just to illustrate the Bromsgove threat, Wilmot had to be alert to keep out long range efforts from Paul Moore and Riad Erraji.

There was a switch in the balance of play immediately after the break.

Poor Phil Male had a personal nightmare as he conceded a penalty and nearly gifted a second.

Male first hauled down Jaggard and Josh Sozzo kept his nerve to bury the resulting spot-kick.

Then Male's short back pass let in Jaggard but the striker lobbed wide.

This was Hitchin's last real threat of the evening, although Mark Ducket and French unsuccessfully tried their luck from distance.

Davis could and perhaps should have grabbed an equaliser and there was a further escape for the Canaries in added time when the same player just failed to convert a cross from sub Wayne Dyer.

Canaries: Wilmot, Pugh, Ducket, Hammonds, Folds, Deeney, Lamacraft, Hicks (Lochhead 68), Jaggard (Hayes 62), Sozzo, French (Mills 87).

Stotfold enjoyed a nap hand at home to Ford Sports on Tuesday night with all the goals coming in the second 45 minutes.

Dean McElroy had his flick at the near post bounce back off the upright and Ryan Frater had his header from a corner saved on the line in the first half.

McElroy opened the scoring when he slotted home on 55 minutes. Sub Nicky Nolan then netted after Junior George cut the ball back on 69 minutes.

A good solo effort from Jason Thomas made it 3-0 and he also scored the fourth after both he and George initially had been denied. The best was saved for last when Paul Harrington saw the keeper off his line and chipped from 30 yards out a minute from time.

Rokermen: N Blower, McElroy, S Blower, Frater, Gentle-King, Beckett (Brown 73), Benton, Hussain (Nolan 60), Thomas (Grant 80), George, Harrington.