Broxbourne Borough run riot against out-of-sorts Berkhamsted

Bradley O'Donovan challenges for the ball. Picture (c) Ray Canham

Until Berko‘s rearranged side went behind, they had been on top; Alex Campana had a goal disallowed for offside and forced a good early save from Adam Seymour.

Carl Tasker tipped a shot over the bar at the other end and, after Berko failed to clear the resulting corner, Ryan Wade gave the home side the lead.

Within five minutes they had doubled their advantage as Tasker got a hand to a Luke Strahan shot but could not prevent it from going in off the far post.

Jude Eboji is beaten to the ball. Picture (c) Ray Canham

Berko battled to get back in the game and skipper Jim Baldry headed home from a free-kick but was given offside, before a long Adam Mead free-kick was converted by Campana to pull the scoreline back to 2-1.

However, the fight was sucked out of the visitors by letting in two more goals either side of the half-time interval.

Adam Murad gave Boro a two-goal cushion at the break as he fired home while Berko’s defence was sliding around on the slippery surface, and then Tom Selman took full advantage of Berko’s sloppy start to the second half to make it 4-1 with a fierce shot.

James Towell and Jordan Gilbert came on and added some urgency to the Berko attack, and it was Gilbert who got his second goal in two appearances as a substitute as he controlled a long pass from Mead and shot past Seymour to make it 4-2.

Alex Campana is congratulated after scoring his goal. Picture (c) Ray Canham

However, Dave Greene took the score to 5-2 with a shot off the underside of the crossbar, and the rout was completed by a flowing move, with Strahan left unmarked in the middle to volley the last goal past an exposed Tasker.

Elsewhere, Jack Skinner put Berko in front in their home reserve game against Leverstock Green. However, an own goal and one from Luke Preedy gave the visitors the points in a close match .

The good news for Berko is that Frankie Jowle’s suspension is now over, but it remains to be seen if the injury list will have subsided for the SSML Premeir Division trip to Tring Athletic on Monday, December 28.

Josh Chamberlain (knee) and Adiel Mannion (ankle) may recover in time for the clash, but Ed Canham (back) and Dan Edwards (rib) are ruled out of the festive derby.

Berko are on a run of away games and got to Holmer Green on Saturday, January 2.