It's a flying start for Berkhamsted

Berkhamsted have kicked off their Southern League Division One Central season in superb style.

Berko opened the campaign with a fine 3-0 win at Biggleswade FC last weekend.

And they followed that up with a 5-0 demolition of Wantage Town at Broadwater last night (Tuesday) to move to the top of the early standings ahead of their Emirates FA Cup preliminary round home tie with Coggeshall Town on Saturday.

Against Biggleswade on Saturday, Berkhamsted passed their way to the first goal as Alie Bangura got in front of his man and kept his composure to slot the ball past the advancing ex Hemel keeper Danny Boness.

Early in the second half Xavi Comas-Leon did well to block an effort and, after James Verney had a strong penalty appeal turned down as he was in a tussle with the last defender, the Comrades did earn a penalty when Bangura was brought down by Luke Oswick.

Lucas Kirkpatrick converted the penalty, giving Boness no chance with a shot in the corner.

And it was the Toomey brothers who combined for the final goal.

Connor was prevented from scoring, but the ball broke to Lewis and he made no mistake from close range.

There was even better to come in midweek as a five-star performance saw off Wantage.

They took the lead after two minutes when slick play between Kirkpatrick and Adam Watkins saw Kirkpatrick put Bangura in on goal and he hit the ball low and hard to the keeper’s bottom left, for the perfect start to the game.

Towards the end of the first half, Bangura played in Lewis Toomey and he managed to squeeze his shot under the visiting goalkeeper from the tightest of angles.

Lewis Toomey doubled his own tally when he finished off a Trey Charles cross and it was 4-0 when Watkins got in on the act with a low shot after good work from James Verney.

And it was Verney who wrapped up the scoring with number five when he was sent through on goal and kept his composure to go round the goalkeeper and find the empty net.

Berko’s reserve side - The Comrades - went to the top of Spartan South Midlands League Division Two with a 5-4 win at Tring Corinthians.

Jake Tabor led the way with four goals and Shaun Stevens converted a penalty.

It took an injury-time goal to get the win after Corries had pulled back from 4-1 down.

Jake Plumridge scored twice for Tring with Ben Jenkins and Marc Arnott also netting.

The Comrades head to league newcomers Milton Keynes College Football Academy on Saturday while the only weekend action at Broadwater is Watford Ladies entertaining Sutton United.

Meanwhile, the battle to save Broadwater continues with a public meeting in the Town Hall at 7:30pm tomorrow (Thursday) night.

All are welcome and local MP Gagan Mahindra will be chairing proceedings and there will be presentations on the history of the ground.

It is an opportunity for fans to put their questions to the directors of the football club and debate the issues involved in the BSGCA’s proposals to move the club to Bourne End, as part of a plan to put over 1,000 houses on green belt land.