Hitchin Away on the Train!

On Saturday 12th October myself and my partner decided that we would venture out on our 1st away game of the season to see our beloved Spalding United play against Hitchin Town. We decided to attend the game after seeing the posters in the club house detailing the cost of travel to Hitchin for a very reasonable price of £16 per person return (Thanks to Paul Parkin for Organising). So to game day, 10 of us met at Spalding train Station at 1100 young and old together, as we departed Spalding we unfortunately had to stand all the way to Peterborough but once we reconvened our journey from Peterborough to Hitchin and the group were reunited there was much optimism within the group hoping for a positive result after the last 3 much improved displays from the mighty Tulips. So we arrived at Hitchin and the sunny skies turned to rain as we began the 25 to 30 min walk from the station to Hitchin's ground, upon arrival at the club house we were all somewhat damp but still in high spirits with anticipation of a positive result later in the afternoon. Upon arrival at Hitchin's clubhouse we received a warm welcome from the very friendly bar staff and we settled down with the other supporters who had made their way to Hitchin for the game, with still more than 90 mins to go kick off I decided to log onto Hitchin's website to purchase our tickets due to the fact there was a £2!!! surcharge to purchase tickets from the box office, once the tickets had been purchased we settled back for the rest of our afternoon, we engaged with a few of the home fans who were very friendly and we chatted about our club and their club and how they have fared so far this season and as kick off approached we said our goodbyes and wished each other good luck (Not too much) and made our way to the turnstiles, luckily by now the sunshine was out and it was now a perfect afternoon for a game of football, after negotiating the weird ground layout of the clubhouse being outside the ground we took our place on the terrace behind the goal the Tulips would be attacking for the 1st half with the rest of the 50 strong travelling support, with the away fans in good voice and full of anticipation the game kicked off. The Tulips started strong and within the 1st 5 mins of the game Tyler Winters had a golden opportunity to head the Tulips into an early lead, sadly for the away fans the golden opportunity was spurned as it was headed over the bar. The home side gradually started to gain a foothold in the game mainly through their very hard working midfielders and strikers who never gave our midfielders and defenders a moment's peace for the whole game. As the half wore on Spalding again succumbed to our achilles heel this year, our failure to deal with balls on top of our defence, Hitchin launched a hopeful ball forward which our defenders dealt with by winning the 1st ball but we failed to pick up the 2nd ball which fell to the Hitchin attacker on the half volley with he rifled into the roof of the net 1 nil to Hitchin. This gave the Hitchin team a massive boost and it showed for the next 15 - 20 mins as Spalding couldn't get a kick of the ball as the very fit and quick Hitchin team fought and scrapped for every ball like their lives depended on it. Then from nowhere a hopeful ball was knocked over the top of the Hitchin defence and "Big Bart" gave hopeful chase, somehow he recovered the ball and started to bear down on the Hitchin goal, Bart took careful aim and slotted the equaliser into the far bottom corner 1 - 1 and suddenly all the hope and anticipation returned to the travelling fans hoping for a positive result. Unfortunately, for the travelling fans, the worst thing possible happens, within 5 or so minutes a ball was played down the inside left channel, the Hitchin player gives chase and Spalding's player brings him down in the box, penalty to Hitchin which was duly dispatched 2 - 1 to Hitchin. The end of the half followed shortly afterwards, work to do for the Tulips in the 2nd half.

As the 2nd half begins the clouds began to darken, little did we know this was a sign of things to come for the Tulips, there were very few highlights to write about with regards to Spalding United in the 2nd half. During the 45 mins of the 2nd half, Spalding failed to work the keeper once, despite getting into some very good positions, unfortunately for the Tulips we were a very distant 2nd best to a very well organised and hard working Hitchin Team and congratulations to them on their 1st home win for more than a year.

All in all it was a very good day spent with some good friends I wouldn't have met if not for the mighty Tulips, sadly the result was not what we wanted but onwards and upwards for the next match on Tuesday away at Royston.