Berko and Levy Green share the spoils in pulsating derby

Berkhamsted and Leverstock Green deservedly shared the points in a pulsating 2-2 draw in their SSML Premier Division derby on Saturday.
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Both teams started well at Broadwater with the visitors winning a corner in the second minute. Berko started to take control and a 25 yard effort from Adam Mead was tipped away by the keeper.

Another long range shot from Mead won a corner, followed by some good work by Alex Campana whose cross set up an Ashley Lewis free header.

The first injury blow for Leverstock came in the 18th minute when Lewis Bowers had to leave the game with a hamstring injury, to be replaced by former Berko player Jordan Gilbert.

Berko went close in the 21st minute when Lewis got on the end of a Dan Weeks cross with a header which came back off the base of the post. Within a minute Leverstock’s Curtis Donaldson threaded a pass to Lacey, whose shot beat Tasker but drifted inches wide.

Soon after Leverstock skipper Shane Wood was unable to continue due to a hamstring injury, being replaced by under-18 player Louis Smith. Within a minute of the substitution Jahn pulled off another great save to tip over a free kick from Mead.

Berko went in front on the half hour. George Carbery may have nudged a Green defender out of the way as he won the ball, but he was allowed to continue his run and hit a low shot past Jahn from the edge of the box.

Leverstock made a good start to the second half, going close on 49 minutes from a corner when Ross Adams hit a shot across goal and Biggadike just failed to connect as he slid in at the far post.

Five minutes later at the other end Berko put together a good passing move which put Steve Hawes through on goal. George Biggadike came in with a tackle which brought the former Green player down, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Mead stepped up for the spot kick but he was denied by Jahn who dived to his right to turn it round the post.

Jonathan Lacey levelled with an hour gone, running at the Berko box before curling a shot from the edge of the box out of Carl Tasker’s reach and into the bottom corner of the net.

The game start to turn into a bit of a bad tempered affair and, after a Green player felt he had been fouled, manager Paul Hunt was sent off for comments to the officials.

with 15 minutes to go Levy took the lead. Karl Davidson won the ball from a defender inside the centre circle, and in the same movement looked up, saw Tasker off his line and sent a lob flying over the Berko keeper’s head into the net.

Both teams pressed forward and it was end to end stuff. Berko were awarded a free kick just outside the area on 82 minutes, and Mead’s well taken kick was headed into the net by the diving Lewis, who rescued a point with his first goal of the season.

It was a great derby for the small crowd of 69 who turned up on a very wet afternoon.

Berko go in search of league points to Hoddesdon Town on Tuesday and to Edgware Town on Saturday. They are then away to Wodson Park in the Challenge Trophy on Wednesday, September 21.

Next up for Leverstock is a home game against Wembley on Tuesday night. They host Hoddesdon Town on Saturday and travel to Holmer Green next Tuesday, September 20.