Berkhamsted bounce back from Langley loss with five-goal blitz against Holmer Green

The Comrades took the lead inside the first five minutes when an incisive pass from Ashley Morrissey set BJ Christie free and the tall striker ran on and placed his shot under Henry Craven in the Green goal.

The next Morrissey shot was tipped away by Craven away for a corner, before Berko defender Ed Canham was booked for a foul as Green broke away.

It became 2-0 after just 16 minutes; Courtney Massay was brought down and, from the resulting free-kick, the ball went wide left to Christie whose cross was headed in from close range by Adiel Mannion.

Craven was then lucky to stay on the pitch when he brought down a Berko forward to concede a penalty, with the referee deciding a yellow card was sufficient punishment. The Green keeper made the most of his reprieve by diving the right way to save the spot kick from Massay.

At the other end, Carl Tasker saved from Andy Shed and the forward’s follow-up shot smashed against the post and ran to safety.

Otherwise the rest of the half belonged to Berko, with Craven kept busy tipping away shots from Mannion and Morrisey.

Both Mannion and Che To also had good close range chances to increase the lead but blasted their shots over the bar.

On the hour mark, Christie and Mannion combined well to set up Morrissey who volleyed home the third goal for Berko.

With the game almost certainly won, Comrades boss Mick Vipond gave game time to three substitutes, and Green took the opportunity to pull a goal back with a quarter of an hour remaining.

It did not take Berko long to regain their three-goal cushion, though. Substitute Alex Foster was tripped as he ran across the front of the penalty box, and this time Josh Chamberlain converted the penalty to make it 4-1.

Another substitute, Frankie Jowle, volleyed home the fifth goal in the closing stages from a Christie cross.

There was just time for James Baldry to get a yellow card for conceding a penalty, however, Carl Tasker dived well and saved Dean Allen’s spot kick.

All of the top-eight sides in the SSML Premier Division won so there was no change in league positions.

Berko: 1 Tasker, 2 Massay, 3 Rodrigoe, 4 Baldry, 5 Canham, 6 Hawes, 7 Morrissey (14 Foster), 8 To (15 Farrelly), 9 Christie, 10 Mannion (Jowle), 11 Chamberlain.

Berko’s last two home league games of the season are on Tuesday, when they entertain third-placed London Colney at Broadwater, and on Saturday against Ampthill Town, who are near the relegation zone. On Tuesday, April 14, Berko go to London Tigers.

Meanwhile, Berko’s reserve team stayed two points clear at the top of their division with a 4-3 win over Harefield United on Saturday, despite having a man sent off.

Pierce Kelly led the way with two goals and Rhys Cassidy and Joe Kazer were also on the mark. The two sides meet again at Harefield this Saturday.