Hitchin Athletic 0–3 Heaton AFC: a tidy afternoon

Opinion

Heaton AFC visited Hitchin Athletic on Tuesday 11 August and decided, for once, that conceding goals is optional. A 3-0 win is an efficient result. It is also a slightly alarming one for those accustomed to the usual chaos of the Heaton defensive line.

They managed a clean sheet. This is a rare feat for a side that usually treats its goal area like a public thoroughfare. Hitchin Athletic looked about as threatening as a bag of sand. There was a moment where a Hitchin striker almost looked at the ball with intent, but that was the extent of the danger.

Heaton were clinical. They didn't overcomplicate things. They played the game with a certain detachment that suggested they had simply forgotten how to panic. The three goals went in with a quiet regularity that probably bored the travelling support to tears.

The victory keeps them moving in the right direction. It is a useful result, provided the defenders don't get too arrogant about their newfound discipline. History suggests the complacency will set in quickly.

They have very little time to reset before the next matchday tomorrow. One hopes they remember where the goal is, but more importantly, that they remember how to stand in front of it. It is a promising start to a new tactical phase, or perhaps just a lucky afternoon. Typical really.