PLAY-OFF FINAL | FOURTH TIME LUCKY FOR HITCHIN TOWN?

Manager, Michael Jones, plotting a route to victory on Monday

Hitchin Town will be hoping that it’s fourth time lucky as they take on Biggleswade FC in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central play-off final.

The Canaries suffered Isuzu FA Trophy defeat at the hands of Monday’s opponents earlier in the season before going on to share the spoils in a 1-1 away draw in October and then lose 1-0 at home at the turn of the year.

“We’ve played them three times already this season and not beaten them, so that shows how difficult it’s going to be in the final,” said manager, Michael Jones. “Biggleswade FC went into the play-offs on the back of nine straight wins, so they arrive here in fantastic form.

“For ourselves, we are now one game away from reaching our season objectives; it’s within touching distance of our grasp.

“We need to make sure we give everything we have on Monday and more and make sure we have no regrets at full time.”

Having lost 5-0 at home to Thame United on the final day of the regular season, the two sides met again in Wednesday’s semi-final with Hitchin this time prospering by a single goal after extra-time.

“We were able to make seven changes to our starting 11 from Saturday, whereas Thame went with the same side that won 5-0,” Jones added. “We started the game on the front-foot and created some good chances to take the lead.

“I felt that we looked dangerous from set plays and we also got into some great areas, but our decision-making wasn’t quite there and it meant we went in at the break goalless.

“We were happy with our first half display and knew that if we could continue it after the break, we would find the goal we needed.

“For the first 15 minutes of the second half we were in control, but as it went on the momentum started to change and Thame started to look more threatening and most likely to score.

“We had to ride our luck at times and we needed some excellent last ditch defending as well as some vital saves by Tyler McGregor to keep level and take us to extra time.

“It was either going to take a mistake or a wonder-strike to settle the game and it proved to be the latter from Callum Kane to send Top Field crazy and take us through.”

IMAGE: @peter_else

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