Derby delight for in-form Kings Langley as Berko crash out of the FA Vase

Kings Langley made it six wins on the spin as they delivered an impressive performance to brush aside Berkhamsted in the first round of the FA Vase.
Callum Adebiyi scored Kings Langley's first goalCallum Adebiyi scored Kings Langley's first goal
Callum Adebiyi scored Kings Langley's first goal

The damage was done in the first half as Callum Adebiyi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, before a quickfire double from Alex Campana put Kings firmly in control before half-time.

Such was the intensity of their attacking play that visiting keeper Charlie Crowley made his first meaningful collection on the quarter of an hour mark and, two minutes later, Kings went ahead with a superb individual goal from Adebiyi.

The defender picked up the ball well into his own half, took a 60-yard run at a retreating defence, exchanged a neat one-two, and beat Carl Tasker with the coolest of finishes.

The Kings midfield and forward-line were employing fast paced pressing tactics, giving the home side no peace on the ball and winning back possession on the rare occasions that they lost it.

When Berkhamsted finally threatened, forcing a Danny Hutchins clearance off the line, Kings responded with two hammer blows.

Nick Jackson ran at the defence and slipped the ball to Dean Hitchcock, whose onward pass was met by Campana to deliver a trademark acute angled rocket into the far corner.

Barely pausing for breath, Mitchell Weiss nicked the ball from a home player, outstripped the defence on his own 60-yard run and unselfishly passed across Tasker for Campana to side foot home.

The Comrades did get behind the Kings defence as the half closed, but Ryan Laville hit a post from two yards out.

Although the hosts raised their game in the second period, Langley’s high-tempo tactics went to the end.

The visitors’ long range passing became even more accurate, and Jackson hit a post with Campana’s following shot cleared off the line.

Connor Toomey merits a mention for a non-stop midfield display, but It was a majestic all round team performance, whose attitude was best summed up by a flying save by Crowley in the fifth minute of time added on to deny Berkhamsted any consolation.

There was further disappointment for the ckub as Berko’s reserve team lost a local derby 3-2 at Leverstock Green to end their unbeaten record in the Suburban North.

Pierce Kelly and Jay Caines scored for the visitors, but it was an own-goal that settled the game in the home side’s favour.

At the time the Gazette went to press, Berkhamsted were preparing for a Herts Senior Cup clash at home to London Colney, while Kings return to league action on Saturday with an SSML Premier Division fixture at home to Wembley.