Hitchin Town secured a decisive 5-1 victory over second-placed Bury Town on Sunday, a result that lifted them out of the relegation zone in their league campaign. Hitchin delivered a commanding performance at home, setting the tone early with a rapid start that caught Bury off guard.

The opening goal came just four minutes into the match when a short corner was played to Jamie Breen. His initial shot struck the post, but Owen Brooks capitalized on the rebound to put Hitchin ahead. Shortly after, Callum Nicolson’s pinpoint corner found Ciaren Jones, who powered a header into the net to double the lead.

Bury Town struggled to respond as Hitchin continued to control possession and create scoring opportunities. Jamie McGrath registered Bury's first meaningful chance with a weak attempt that was comfortably saved. Meanwhile, Diogo Freitas-Gouveia’s energetic runs on the wing kept the visitors under pressure, with Brooks narrowly missing another scoring opportunity before teammate Jack Snelus added a third goal. Snelus chased down a pass from Toby Syme, outpaced the defender, and finished clinically to extend Hitchin’s advantage.

Bury managed to pull one back following a defensive lapse by Hitchin. Ally Conway provided a pass to McGrath, who found an opening to score with relative ease.

Despite Bury’s goal, Hitchin maintained control—and in the 80th minute, Freitas-Gouveia’s drive led to a corner, which was expertly converted by Dan Stokoe to restore the four-goal cushion. Substitute Sean Duodu capped the dominant display with a well-placed strike during added time, sealing a comprehensive victory.

The result marks a significant boost for Hitchin Town as they move away from the threat of relegation, while Bury Town suffered a rare defeat at the higher end of the table.