Berkhamsted make their best-ever start to a season

Berkhamsted have officially made the best start to a league season in the club’s history.

Chris Devane’s team’s 2-0 home victory over bottom side Hertford at Broadwater on Saturday made it seven wins and one draw from their first eight games of the season in the Southern League Division One Central while they have scored 19 goals and conceded just two.

The superb start had left them in second place in the table, just one point behind leaders North Leigh but with three games in hand.

They had to wait until the second half to break the deadlock at the weekend with Lewis Toomey scoring from inside the six-yard box after good work down the left by Lucas Kirkpatrick.

And the advantage was doubled when substitute Robbie Goodman arrived on cue to meet a corner with a fine header that gave Luke Mewitt in the Hertford goal no chance.

The winning feeling continued on Tuesday as Berko progressed to the last 32 of the Southern League Challenge Cup with a fine 2-0 local derby win at Kings Langley.

Both clubs rang the changes for the tie and it was Berko who opened the scoring after 37 minutes when Carl Chambers’s cross was tapped home by James Verney.

Berko took charge in the second half and, after Jake Tabor had hit the post, he did get on the scoresheet with a diving header from Lucas Kirkpatrick’s cross.

The focus falls on the Buildbase FA Trophy on Saturday when they go to Barton Rovers in the second qualifying round.

Berko’s under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup in heartbreaking fashion last week.

Berko had the better of things in a goalless 90 minutes at Barnet with Godlove Oppong having a first-half effort saved while Roman Pirani and Reily Churchill were off target with efforts,.

In the shoot-out, Alfie Gaffney took the first spot kick for Berko but James Callan saved brilliantly.

Churchill and Pirnai converted their penalties for the Comrades and Taylor Read saved from Fuad Moibi.

But Harley Latchford put his kick over the bar and Barnet took the lead.

Oppong converted his spot-kick and that left Courtney Samuden with Barnet’s fifth kick and he withstood the pressure to win it 4-3.

It’s back to the league action for the youngsters tonight (Thursday) when they head to AFC Dunstable.

Two goals from Ryan Baxter earned Berkhamsted Comrades a 2-2 draw with Eynesbury Rovers on Saturday. This weekend, they host Risborough Rangers Development in the Spartan South Midlands League Division Two.

On Sunday, Berko’s under-16s had a splendid 8-0 win in the League Cup at Brimsdown.

George Ricce and Yuva Raj Khantharuben led the way with two goals apiece while Sam Matthews, Ruben Mudlar, Alex Stelmach and Gabriel Mangoni were also on target.

They are at home to Cockfosters this Sunday afternoon.