Amersham Town - League Cup (05/10/2003)
2003 - 2004 Season, Hithercroft Youth



The weather was dry and sunny for our second visit to Amersham Town this season, this game being in the first round of the League Cup. The ground was firm. Owing to Jonny having a neck injury Des Ife ran the line in the first half and Chris Seaton did so for the second half. The referee was Mr James Bird. The Hithercroft team consisted of Simon, Richard Vere, Nicki, Jamaine, Duane White, Matt, Laurence, Ralph, Dewayne Dublin, Chris and Arron with Kevin as the substitute. (Kevin was not used during the game). We were informed on the day that Kyle and Ricci would not be available although they had been selected to play.

The game kicked off at 2.03pm and after 5 minutes of play Amersham Town took a 1-0 lead when Richard Ellis (No 9) ran down the middle and sent the ball past Simon into the net. However, 10 minutes later Richard sent his goal kick down the right, Dewayne collected the ball and ran inside to score for Hithercroft. Following a lete tackle on Simon, the Hithercroft goalkeeper, the Amersham No 9 was booked and, shortly after this Chris Paget of Hithercroft also received a booking from the referee. At 2.37pm Hithercroft were awarded a throw-in which Laurence, using his long throw, delivered to Arron who turned and hammered the ball into the home team’s net to put the visitors 2-1 ahead. This lead was short-lived as, within 60 seconds, Amersham had drawn level with a fine header by Ashley Haw (No 6). The remainder of the half was played out without any further scoring, both sides having about equal possession and territorial advantage.

The second half began at 2.58pm and after 7 minutes Ralph sent the ball into the middle from where Chris headed the ball into the Amersham net, only to find that his effort was wasted following an off-side decision. Dewayne, after 10 minutes of the second half, received the ball on the edge of the 6-yard box but, with only the keeper to beat, hit it high over the crossbar. Ralph was unlucky when Laurence sent a long throw-in to Matt, who was on the far side of the goalmouth, and he played the ball back into the centre for Ralph’s shot to go just outside of the post. At 3.15 the deadlock was broken when Laurence again employed his long throw to send the ball from the left of the field across the goal and, as it bounced up, Matt was there to head the ball home to put Hithercroft ahead 3-2. Shortly after this Laurence was booked for ‘dissent’. The Amersham keeper was then called upon to pull off a fine save when Ralph had centred the ball to Dewayne, who turned and struck the ball towards the goal; the keeper dived to his right and pushed the ball round the outside of the upright. Hithercroft then began to take control of the game and were spending quite a large amount of time in the Amersham half and providing the opposing keeper with plenty of exercise. At 3.30pm Matt took the ball down the left of the field and easily went round the Amersham defence until he was brought down just inside the 18-yard box. The referee awarded a penalty and Matt stepped up to hit a powerful shot past the keeper to put Hithercroft 4-2 ahead. Hithercroft kept up the pressure and at 3.37pm Chris kicked a long high ball from the halfway line for Arron to collect and, after rounding two defenders he slotted the ball into the net to increase the visitor’s lead to 5-2. Chris was playing really well since he had dropped back into a defensive position and he was reading the game well, gathering the loose ball and returning it upfield to his forwards. There then occurred a period when the referee booked Duane White, Nicki Mills and Chris Paget in separate incidents, Chris having been booked in the first half thereby having to leave the field at 3.44pm. In this latter incident he also booked Arron, presumably for dissent. Shortly afterwards Arron raced down the centre and as he neared the 18-yard box he was pulled back by the ‘last man’ defender who was also dismissed from the field. The game continued without any further scoring and, at the whistle, Hithercroft emerged as the winners by 5 goals to 2. They now go on to meet Penn & Tylers Greeen, a first Division side on 26th October.


Hithercroft scorers: Dewayne Dublin, Arron Clarke (2) and Matt Seaton (2, one a penalty)

Amersham Town scorers: Richard Ellis and Ashley Haw.