Hoddesdon pounce late to deny Berko

Berkhamsted were thwarted by Hoddesdon's late salvo. Picture (c) Ray Canham

Berko were left to rue their failure to convert a first half penalty when Alex Campana was brought down and Reece Buck dived well to save Josh Chamberlain’s spot kick.

They lost Dan Edwards to injury after half an hour, so Adam Mead reverted to full-back and George Carbery came on in midfield.

In the second half Berko were up for the battle and forced several fine saves from Reece, while Mead came forward and struck the bar with a sweetly hit shot from 20 yards.

Berko went in front with 20 minutes remaining when Chamberlain was sandwiched to earn a free-kick. Mead stepped up and beat Buck and the defensive wall from 20 yards out.

Ten minutes later Campana waltzed through a clutch of defenders to score one of the solo goals of the season and double the lead.

However, Hoddesdon do tend to keep going to the end of their games and Berko had to clear a few late efforts off their goal-line.

The warnings were not heeded and, after a flurry of substitutions, Jack Bartlett headed home to make it 2-1.

Deep in injury time, Hoddesdon substitute Mark Twumasi took advantage of a failure to clear and swivelled to hit the equaliser.

The two points dropped meant Welwyn Garden City overtook Berko in the league table.

Comrades: Evans, Edwards (Carbery), Weeks, Baldry, Rodrigoe, Mead, Jowle, Hawes, Chamberlain (Nash-Barker), Campana, (O’Donovan), Farrelly. Sub not used: Ladyman.

In the Suburban League Berko let in late goals to go down 4-0 at Camberley Town after keeper Connor Sansom was sent off in their last game of the season.