Alternative Report vBiggleswade

[Greenfinch]

This game was played like a cup tie, fast, furiuos and sometimes frantic, both sides were tough tackling, but Bigglewade more so when it mattered, and were quick in shutting us down.Hitchin produced some neat football at times, but were crying out for a Centre Forward or anybody to put the ball in the net.Second half was much the same,the difference being the goal scored at the time, against the run of play.Oh, for an Ian Scott a playmaker, who would have put the ball where it mattered, instead of so many passes in the final third wasted.I don't know who was more disappointed, the fans or the players, both I would imagine, at least I got the correct score in the prediction league.

[Brian]

Too be fair to Biggleswade, they were stronger, quicker, tougher and a bit more street wise than us and deserved their victory. The goal was well taken too.

At this level teams will try to stop the opposition playing football and Biggleswade did it very well.

On the few occasions were got our passing game going we looked very good but the final ball wasn't there. I don't feel it was the fault of our centre foward as he never received any quality service.

I timed it as the 86th minute before we actually put a decent cross in that went to a Hitchin player in the Biggleswade penalty area. So often crosses and corners were meat and drink for the Biggleswade defence, especially the tall centre half who won everything.

I thought we had good shape. Callum Kane and Lewis Franklin had good games as the wing backs whilst JCS is a quality player who will knit things together in midfield if we can give him the time and space to operate. I was also impressed with Charlie MacDonald who put himself about abit.

It's getting quality ball from the midfield or wing backs to the forwards that we lacked last night.

We do also seem very light on attacking options especially out wide. Only Plamedi Bomolo on the bench in the way of forwards.

Early days yet but I think Biggleswade will be up there come the end of the season.

[Chris_N]

To be fair to Biggleswade, they were stronger, quicker, tougher and a bit more street wise than us and deserved their victory. The goal was well taken too.
At this level teams will try to stop the opposition playing football and Biggleswade did it very well

Sums it up perfectly. We can play the nicest, most attractive football going, but the ONLY thing that counts is the result at the end of the game. For me the slap in the face lesson from last night is that it will take more mental and physical toughness to supplement the superior football we are capable of playing if we want to get out of the division. Last season we had some Step 4 players having to quickly try to adjust to what Step 3 brought them. This season there are a number of Step 3 players, the backbone of the team, who are needing to quickly adjust to what Step 4 brings.

Seven games at Top Field without a goal. It worries me.

[KEITH]

I thought we had good shape. Callum Kane and Lewis Franklin had good games as the wing backs whilst JCS is a quality player who will knit things together in midfield if we can give him the time and space to operate. I was also impressed with Charlie MacDonald who put himself about abit.

Absolutely agree. I would also add Cole Butler to that list. He looks like he could be one to watch. As for a goal scorer Taylor Rhiney scored a hat full for Barton Rovers last season &, I suspect, he had plenty of support & decent balls into him to be able to do so, neither of which were present against Biggleswade. I felt sorry for him as he was isolated all night. Rarely was a Hitchin player within 20yds of him & the passes he did get were either fired into him or played to him when he had 3 Biggleswade defenders for company &, on a few occasions, played past him for him to chase. When we were last in div 1 we had John Frendo, one of the most clinical finishers we've ever had, but, had he been in a similar situation to Taylor he wouldn't have scored on Tuesday either. We worked positions back then to get the ball into his feet in the box where he rarely missed. Given a similar service then we should see what Taylor is about.