Read the Match Programme v Hillingdon here

This was our Halloween special match and we definitely weren’t looking for a Halloween shocker. After our weekend win over Tring expectations were high. Adam Fisher started with a very different side, obviously giving some players a rest whilst trying others.

Hillingdon actually had the first decent chance of the match when a cross was cleared to the edge of the Baldock box where they could only manage a duffed shot when a decent strike could have yielded much more. In 10 minutes Piggott set the theme for the match, and his night, when a run through the defence was found by a decent pass and he managed a shot which was blocked for a corner. A few minutes later a new player Steven Dodd got a shot in on goal from the edge of the box. The shot was deflected but looked like it might drop in. On 21 minutes Piggott was again on a run thought the defence and this time he managed to get in on the Keeper and managed to slot the ball into the corner of the net.

The match was all Baldock at this time with Hillingdon rarely getting out of their own half.

Baldock got their second goal after 23 minutes when a Gill free kick managed to find Anthony on the far side of the box and where he blasted a low shot past the keeper. The next few minutes were continued efforts on goal from James and Dodd. Yet again Piggott was on a run through the defence and found again with good ball from Gould. Piggott’s run from the half way line resulted in another placed shot past the keeper for his second goal. You could see the theme building and it would continue.

The misery went on for Hillingdon when the Ref awarded a penalty to Baldock, in 47 minutes. No one had appealed and no one in the stand had any clue as to why it was a penalty but you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Might have been the Ref joining in on the Festivities – ‘Trick or Treat’. Piggott opted for the ‘Treat’ and took the penalty and beat the Keeper easily for his hat trick.

4-0 at half time.

The second half started as the first finished and Piggott was again through on the Keeper, rounded him this time but the angle was too narrow and he missed. In 57 minutes Hillingdon Borough managed a header on the Baldock goal which went just over – a reminder to Baldock not to take it too easy. Baldock continued with numerous assaults on the Hillingdon goal and in 69 minutes Piggott, on another run through the defence, found the advancing Anthony on the edge of the six yard box and his shot found the net. That’s 5-0.

The Red army were in good voice, they seemed a bit younger than they used to be but good to hear all the same. It’s a simple song ‘Red Army, [pause], Red Army [pause], Red … it goes on like that. Need Scouse Steve to compose something, he is good with songs with Red in them.

In 76 minutes a cross from Anthony on the right allowed Piggott a rare header but he hit the post from very close range.

Baldock then tried to relieve the monotony when they gifted Hillingdon a very soft goal in 79 minutes, when the defence were caught watching as their striker took his time inside the six yard box to score. Not what we wanted to see. In 81 minutes it was that man again, Piggott, when he found himself on the end of a cross from the left, on the edge of the six yard box, he left a defender and the keeper on the ground and knocked it in for his fourth and Baldock’s sixth goal.

Right at the death Furness was up sniffing for a goal and found the back of the net only to be ruled offside by one of our own, Assistant Line Neil Angus (ex BTYFC), you could have let him have that one Neil?

That was it for the night except for the man of the match award – no prizes for guessing but Piggott had a bottle of champagne to celebrate the win with his team.

Hillingdon were always there for the taking, they left space in midfield and the back four were flat and slow on the turn so they were always going to lose goals. Hopefully Baldock continue in form for a must win match at the weekend against North Greenford Utd.

Team; Harpur, Donkin, Gill, Coppin, O’Donoghue, Furness, Anthony, James, Piggott, Dodd, Gould. Subs Used; Holland, Finch, Doolan

Correspondent; J.Graham