Match Preview

HITCHIN TOWN v BLUES - MATCH PREVIEW

Match Information
Buildbase FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying
Hitchin Town v Blues
Saturday 30th October
Kick Off 3pm
Hitchin Town FC, Top Field, Fishponds Road, Hertfordshire, SG5 1NU.
Tel: - 01462 459028.

Admission Prices
Adult £12
Concessions £8
Teenagers £3
Under 13’s £1
Over 80’s FREE

(Please note that tomorrow’s match is ALL TICKET and you must book your tickets via links on the Hitchin Town website or Twitter page).

The Blues head to Hitchin Town in the Buildbase FA Trophy tomorrow afternoon on the back of a mixed week.

Leiston will be playing their 4th away game in a row and their have been plenty of positives, despite losing two of the three matches. The side remain 6th in the league table after Tuesday night’s 3-2 defeat at Biggleswade Town.

Hitchin have 8 points and are bottom of the Pitching In Southern League Central Premier, the same division as Leiston. The sides have met on five times previously, although one was abandoned. The first was in November 2018, with the sides drawing 2-2 at Top Field with Joe Jefford and Tom Bullard on target. In January the following year, the Blues went down 2-1 to the Hertfordshire outfit with Harrison Bacon netting the Leiston goal. The next season, Will Davies, Siju Odelusi and Josh Hitter all got on the scoresheet in a 3-1 victory while the away game was abandoned 37 minutes in due to a waterlogged pitch. Last season in October, Leiston netted goals via Liam Jackson and Will Davies but surrendered a two goal lead late on to go home with just a point.

This will be Leiston’s 28th match in the FA Trophy. They first played in the competition in September 2011, losing 1-0 at Brentwood Town in the Preliminary Round. A season later, the Blues defeated Hendon (2-1) and Met Police (4-3 in a Replay after the match finished 1-1 at Leiston) before going out in another Replay at Hampton & Richmond. The Blues have reached the First Round Proper on three previous occasions, in 2014 (losing 2-0 at Bromley), 2016 (losing 5-3 at home in a Replay after drawing 1-1 at Bromley), and also last season when they lost 2-1 at Needham Market. Finlay Barnes the scorer that day.

Blues joint boss Chris Wigger said on Friday morning: -

‘Tuesday’s game at Biggleswade Town was a very frustrating one. We didn’t perform anywhere near to the standards that we have set ourselves in recent games. We had a good chat as a group after that game and sometimes that honestly can be a good thing that actually only comes after a loss and a poor performance.
We will see how the lads respond on Saturday at Hitchin Town.’

Other Suffolk sides involved in FA Trophy action tomorrow: -

Brentwood Town v AFC Sudbury
Hastings United v Felixstowe & Walton United
Lowestoft Town v Yaxley
St Ives Town v Needham Market.

Meanwhile, the Blues Reserves host Whittlesey Athletic tomorrow in the Thurlow Nunn First Division North, (3pm kick off). The Reserves have picked up just 1 point from their last five games but hope to get another win on the board tomorrow, but the away side are in good form, and sit in the play-off positions at the moment.

Thurlow Nunn First Division North fixtures tomorrow: -

Downham Town v Debenham LC
FC Parson Drove v Great Yarmouth Town
Huntingdon Town v UEA
LEISTON RESERVES v Whittlesey Athletic
Needham Market Reserves v Harleston Town
Norwich CBS v Diss Town
Peterborough North End v Framlingham Town
Sheringham v Wisbech St Mary.