Berko go top after 3-0 win at Holmer Green last night (Tues)

Ashley Morrissey was recalled to the starting line-up and gave his full-back a torrid time, frequently finding his way to the byline in the opening stages.

He was the one to make the breakthrough in the 18th minute when he latched onto a Sean Coghlan cross and rifled in a ten-yard shot past Holmer keeper Sam Butcher.

At the other end, skipper Gary Lines had a decent shot.

Berko dominated possession in the first-half on a good playing surface, but it took until nearly the interval to get the second goal. Coughlan was again the provider, with Stacey Field this time sweeping the ball home to give Berko the two-goal cushion they deserved.

In the second period, Max Farrelly’s effort was cleared off the line while at the opposite end Berko netminder Carl Tasker saved well from Dean Munday when he came forward.

Coughlan had a fine chance to make it 3-0 but the bouncing ball prevented him controlling the shot and then a 30-yard drive from Eve Hawes was saved by Butcher.

The Comrades’ skipper Jon Munday got the ball in the net with a powerful header from a free-kick by Adam Mead but the offside flag went up.

Substitute Dan Jones’s shot was just saved by Butcher as the pressure mounted on the Green goal.

Ashton Campbell was back from his holidays and came off the bench to create the final goal with a cross from the right wing that Field headed home for his sixth goal of the season to make it 3-0.

The clean sheet proved important as it took Berko to the top of the Premier division table on goal difference.

Berko: Tasker, Mead, Weeks, Hawes, Munday, Rodrigoe, Campana, Farrelly (Jowle), Field, Coughlin (Campbell), Morrissey (Jones). Subs not used: Carter and Prior.

Next up for Berko is a trip to Sharpenhoe Road this Sunday, for an Emirates FA Cup preliminary tie at Barton Rovers’ ground when they play Crawley Green (3pm kick-off). If a replay is required, it will be at Broadwater next Tuesday, August 22, at 7.45pm.

This Saturday Berko’s development team entertain AFC Dunstable in a pre-season friendly with free admission at 3pm.

Saturday’s game recap:

Berko made a winning start to their league campaign on Saturday (August 12) with a comfortable 3-1 home victory over a revamped Cockfosters.

Midfielders Steve Hawes and Max Farrelly and striker Sean Coughlan won recalls, having missed last week’s 12-1 win in the FA Cup.

The opening exchanges were fairly even with Adam Mead putting a couple of dangerous free-kicks just wide at the railway end.

Stacey Field broke the deadlock with a well-taken goal shooting across the keeper into the far bottom corner.

Sean Coughlan’s pace caused problems and he had goals in each half disallowed for offside. At the other end Andrew Kinoshi turned well but put a snap shot over the bar.

Just before half-time Berko doubled their lead with Jon Munday heading home from a perfect Alex Campana cross.

However, he turned from hero to villain when the referee spotted a push at the canal end as he rose for a defensive header. Callum Lee converted the spot kick to make it 2-1 at the interval.

After the break, Dario Zavagno produced a magnificent save to tip a Coughlan shot over the bar while Namdi Egboh curled a fine shot close at the other end.

Abraham had a goal disallowed for a shove on Tasker as he went to claim the ball and the netminder saved well again to keep out Egboh in an open game.

The decisive goal was a thundering header from Farrelly with Campana again providing a pin-point cross.

It was a deserved three points for Berko against a side that has talent and will win more than they lose after wholesale changes in the summer.

Berko: Tasker, Mead, Weeks, Hawes, Munday, Rodrigoe, Campana,Farrelly, Field (Jones), Coughlan, Carter (Morrissey). Subs not used: Jowle , Prior and Seanla.