Berko ‘back on track’ after Hillingdon Borough victory

The Comrades had been stuttering over the past few weeks, but two victories in the space of five days has seen Vipond’s side progress in the Herts Senior Cup and reclaim their place at the top of the SSML Premier Division.

“We are getting back on track now,” said Vipond. “We are getting some players back which is making a difference and giving us more of a physical presence in the side.”

Vipond was disappointed by his side’s display in their defeat to Dacorum rivals Kings Langley in the FA Vase last week, but he is pleased with how they have responded.

“Last week we were shocking,” said the Berko boss. “We had a real poke in the eye and we told the players that we couldn’t be performing like that if we want to achieve our aims this season.

“But I couldn’t see us having a lot of bad games in a row – we have too many good players for that to happen.”

Berkhamsted had to grind out their win at Hillingdon on a soggy and unkept pitch which Vipond says made it very difficult to play any kind of flowing football.

“The pitch was one of the worst I have ever seen,” he said. “It was shockingly bad so we just got the ball from back to front as quickly as we could and missed out the midfield.

“We just looked to get the ball up top to BJ (Christie) and got midfielders up in support of him.

“We said to the players that the conditions were going to be difficult and it was pleasing to see how we coped.

“There are different ways of winning football matches and we have got our confidence back a bit now.”

At the time the Gazette went to press, Berkhamsted were preparing for a trip to St Margaretsbury for a league fixture, before the Comrades host Harefield United at Broadwater on Saturday afternoon.