Match report: Hitchin Town 1 Biggleswade United 0

Hitchin Town ended their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 win against Spartan South Midlands Premier side Biggleswade United.

The game was decided by United’s goalkeeper, Joachim Martos, who appeared to mistake the ball for a bar of soap, spilling it to the glad feet of Hitchin Town’s Callum Donnelly who clinched the game’s only goal in the 14th minute.

Sadly, fans at Top Field will forget the sublime delicacy of Donnelly’s chip for the keeper’s recklessness will undoubtedly cloud the minds of spectators.

This wasn’t to be Martos’ only contribution to forget, for he was left with a sense of déjà-vu 10 minutes before half-time when he fumbled the ball again only to be let off the hook by Kane Smith who, up to this moment, had not put a foot wrong.

Despite this miss, it was United’s manager Cristian Colas who was left scratching his head at half-time.

Biggleswade started much brighter in the second-half and almost scored in under a minute with an unmarked header.

In truth, however, United’s hopes rested entirely on Adam Drakulic who, on occasions, looked like he could create space in an airing cupboard by the way he wriggled away from Hitchin’s defenders.

Substitute Will Wright was turned inside out just below the hour mark by the tricky Biggleswade winger, who ultimately deserved better than the defeat his side earned.

Despite Hitchin’s final pre-season victory, manager Mark Burke would have been far from happy with his side’s finishing in front of goal, the pick of the bunch coming from substitute Jamie Arlick, who came on with half an hour to go.

After beating the offside trap, Arlick found himself one-on-one with the Biggleswade keeper only to have his effort on goal saved comfortably by shooting straight at Martos.

The crowd echoed the sound one would make if stubbing their toe in anxiety as the score-line remained on a knife’s edge.

Forward Matt Lench also provided little threat in front of goal for the Canaries; he will be hoping for a better display when Hitchin lock horns with Hemel Hempstead Town in the Herts Charity Cup first round this evening (Monday).

Hitchin Town: Horlock, Smith, Bickerstaff, Ann, Webb, Pearson, Rolfe, Donnelly, Martin, Kirkpatrick, Lench.

Biggleswade Utd: Martos, O’Neill, Sagawete, M Cooper, Peters, Clark, Drakulic, Elliot, J Cooper, Chisholm, Batteler.