Hitchin Town 3 Tiverton Town 2 NEIL JENSEN reports HITCHIN Town paraded the biggest prize they have won for 36 years and treated their fans to an entertaining end-of-season game against Tiverton Town. Invariably, the last game of the season is a non-event

Hitchin Town 3 Tiverton Town 2

NEIL JENSEN reports

HITCHIN Town paraded the biggest prize they have won for 36 years and treated their fans to an entertaining end-of-season game against Tiverton Town.

Invariably, the last game of the season is a non-event but Saturday's match was lively, packed with talking points and bizarre moments.

The Canaries ended the season on a positive note and found themselves in 14th place at the close of play - an improvement on last season.

Hitchin got off to a perfect start and Josh Sozzo scored after four minutes, a neat finish after a low ball into the area by Daniel French.

But five minutes later, Tiverton equalised, a 30-yard free kick by Darren Davies creeping inside Richard Wilmot's right-hand post.

In the 13th minute, the Canaries restored their lead through Mark Ducket, who at the second attempt sent a left-foot drive wide of former Luton goalkeeper Mark Ovendale.

Sozzo and Gavin Jaggard linked up shortly afterwards to create a chance for the latter but his effort was wide of the target.

Glen Lamacraft also had an opportunity to extend Hitchin's lead.

Wilmot kept Hitchin ahead with saves either side of the interval, firstly with a spectacular near-post stop from Chris Bale's header and then from a Jamie Mudge volley.

Wilmot's opposite number, Ovendale, did likewise from a James Ayres overhead kick.

Tiverton equalised once more in the 61st minute when Mudge raced clear of the defence and sent a shot wide of Wilmot.

Four minutes later, a bizarre goal proved to be Hitchin's winner.

Sozzo rolled the ball goalwards and Ovendale, attempting to clear, sliced it into his own net. Sozzo was quick to claim the goal as his own!

Tiverton struck the woodwork twice in a matter of seconds in the 70th minute, Mudge hitting the bar and Dave Hambly returning the ball against a post.

In the last minutes of the season, Sozzo had the chance to secure his hat-trick but he hesitated before shooting and Ovendale was not tested.

Canaries: Wilmot, Deeney, Ducket, Hammonds, Ayres, Hicks (Lochhead 82), Cavill, Lamacraft, Jaggard (Hayes 63), Sozzo (W Mills 90), French.