HITCHIN TOWn 1 afc 0

Hitchin Town 1 AFC Dunstable 0 (1-0 Half time)

Southern League Central Division 1

Fishponds, Hitchin Saturday 27th Sepember 2025.

Attendance – 598

Match report by Tony Barbato.

This was the first time that AFC had ever played at Hitchin's lovely Fishpond's ground in the centre of the town as the home club have historically always been in a higher division. AFC were rewarded by playing the game in front of a large crowd of 598 and it was also great to see an old friend in Pipeman the former esteemed secretary of Dunstable Town.

AFC kicked off in red and instantly began to put in some very satisfying patterns of play together moving the ball around on the floor at pace and for the first 15 minutes dominated possession and started to carve out some reasonable chances primarily coming from good link ups between JCA (Joshua Clark-Anderson), Brooks and Avto. Early chances for Joyce, Avto and Carmichael however failed to register. In central midfield Tally, Brooks and Joyce linked up well with Tommy D, Ike and Avto spraying the ball around with good movement from the forwards up front. It was good to see our former Captain Callum Nicholsen again and ever better to see the Hitchin midfield struggling with our movement. However we were as usual the architects of our own doom with some casual clearances at the back resulting in our opponents starting to put us more on the back foot with 2 or 3 half chances being needlessly given away. This culminated with Hitchin taking the lead on 18 minutes after possession was again given up allowing their No. 10 Kyle Tearle to flash in a cute finish to the far post against the run of play.

Thereafter Hitchin enjoyed a period of dominance with probing balls over the  top predominantly down our left side. Alemanji proved to be a physical hand full all game and on 25 he stole through the defence to one on one with Bonsu who managed a trademark fantastic save at his feet. For the rest of the 1st half the fencing continued with AFC again playing some very entertaining football with JCA continually getting up to support the attack and between him and Avto some fantastic crosses were put into the box but we were unable to get any to stick. Avto in particular was extremely direct and effective and linked well with Blennerhasset to carve open some chances but credit to the Hitchin defence they stood resolute and blocked any shots that we attempted to put away. Their keeper also smothered at Avto's feet when he was one on one at 35 mins after some again excellent inter-changing of passes by AFC. Just after this JCA carried the ball in field and beat 4 players with ease to carve out a shooting opportunity that unfortunately did not trouble the keeper.

So at half time we undeservingly go in 1-0 down with some great attacking football being shown but defensively our gaps were too large and we were picked off on a few occasions with one of those being most costly.

For the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half we continued to play some good patterns of play moving forwards resulting in opportunities for Brooks and Avto but it became obvious that today would not be our day. Frustration was starting to creep into the performance and Carmichael was booked for an innocuous foul & subsequent handbags, the first of a very clean game however the referee decided to start blowing for everything against both teams and the momentum of what was a really good contest became lost. on 62 mins the substitutions started with Tally making way for Max. On 65 minutes the game was stopped for what appeared to be something shouted from the home support behind the goal. This resulted in JT being summonsed onto the pitch by the officials and after some 5 minutes the game re-started. Whatever had caused the stoppage it seemed to have a negative effect on the AFC players. On 75 mins Tra Lucas came on for Avto and Bruce returning from injury came on for Ike. On 84 mins Ben Lynch departed injured with Whits taking his place in defence.  As the game withered out as a spectacle Carmichael pulled the shirt of a Hitchin forward resulting in a red card that effectively sealed the result with Blennerhasset being changed out for Aaron with 3 minutes to go. Despite 7 minutes extra time being added AFC just couldn't threaten again.

There were some un-savoury scenes at the end of the game resulting in some AFC players being drawn into a confrontation with a spectator(s) and the stewards quickly ejecting one. We were advised that racial abuse had been levied at Bonsu on 4 separate occasions and no doubt Hitchin will investigate and act upon this particularly un-savoury incident. 

This aside AFC did play some very stylish forward going forward and on another day could have come away with a victory.

MOM = Avto - excellent game from him showing great determination and skill throughout.