Comrades are conquering all

The draw was made on Monday lunchtime and Berko will take the short trip to Tring Athletic in the next round on Saturday, December 2, a side they beat 2-1 in the Herts Charity Shield in midweek.

Before Saturday’s game Ben Bateman picked up an injury in the pre-match warm up so Berko boss Steve Bateman reshuffled the team at short notice with an old ‘W’ formation five-man attack.

However, it was a midfielder that made the breakthrough with Steve Hawes opening the scoring midway through the first half with a shot from the edge of the penalty area after Enfield keeper Milvydas Lukosius had beaten out a shot from Chris Blunden.

The lead was short lived as Borough equalised when Berko keeper Carl Takser was beaten by a follow-up shot from Tage Kennedy after doing well to save the initial shot.

Ashley Morriseey cleared the bar with a fierce drive and at the other end Henderson Browne shot over.

Borough were a threat when they broke out of defence at pace to launch periodic attacks.

Visiting skipper Jon Munday headed over from a Dan Jones corner and Morrissey looked like he was tripped but the referee waved play on.

Kennedy went close at the other end getting on the end of a rare long ball.

Sean Coughlan headed wide from a an Adam Mead free-kick as Berko pressed.

Max Farrelly came on at half-time to stiffen the Berko midfield. Lukosius kept out good shots from Morrissey, Blunden and Coughlan and a header by Munday while Enfield also survived a penalty appeal for handball.

Josh Chamberlain came on for Berko and his shot went just wide as did another Munday header.

Munday must have thought he had won the game with an 85th minute left foot finish from a corner as the Comrades retook the lead.

But deep in injury time Enfield battled back and forced extra time with an equaliser from substitute Isaac Stevens.

Enfield struck the cross bar in the first-half of extra time but it was Berko that came out on top with two goals in the second period.

Alex Campana curled the ball in off the far post with a cross-cum-shot to make it 3-2 with the keeper stranded.

And Coughlan’s persistence paid off as he collected the final goal at the third attempt to make it 4-2.

The keeper saved his first shot and then he tried to back heel the loose ball in from the rebound but a defender kicked it off the line, but Coughlan was there again to dink home the ball in front of the large contingent of joyous young travelling supporters.

Berko get back to league action this Saturday with a trip to Biggleswade United.

The unbeaten Comrades will be hoping to maintain their record but must cope without the suspended Blunden, who has picked up too many bookings.

A run of five consecutive away games then finally comes to an end when Berko host Edgware Town next Tuesday, November 21.

In midweek, Berko beat Tring 2-1 to move into the semi-final of the Herts Charity Shield, a competition they won last year when beating Tring in the final.

Berko’s goals came from Ashton Campbell and a sublime Adam Mead free-kick for his seventh of the season.