Table-topping Berkhamsted tame the Tigers to stay clear at the summit

The first half was stop start football with Berko eventually getting their noses in front when Adiel Mannion scored from the right of the penalty area as he connected with a cross from the left wing on the half hour mark.

At the other end Carl Tasker came out and spread himself well to deny an advancing Tiger with his feet.

Berko were caught cold at the start of the second half when Ayoub Amellal put a fine shot into the top corner.

However, the Comrades were quickly back in front when the referee played a good advantage, allowing BJ Christie to continue and round the keeper to score.

Soon afterwards, Ashley Morrissey hit the side netting with a shot, before Courtney Massay came forward and did likewise.

Christie was next to hit the wrong side of the net with a shot on the turn as Berko upped their game.

Morrissey then combined with Kyle Lincoln who surged up the left wing and delivered the perfect cross into the six-yard box where Christie was on hand for his second goal to make him the club’s top scorer so far this season.

There were lobs over the bar at each end by Morrissey for Berko and substitute John Startin for Tigers.

The Comrades used three substitutes and ended up with three bookings, for fouls by Max Farrelly and Frankie Jowle, with the crowd astonished when Morrissey looked to be tripped in the penalty area but was on the wrong end of a yellow card, as he was deemed to have dived.

Berko were good value for their win in the second half and still lead the division by three points; the league table looks much like it did as the leading trio all won on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Berko’s reserve side stretched their lead at the top of the Suburban North table to seven points with a 3-2 win at Binfield.

Tom Shaw, Pierce Kelly and Jay Caines got the goals for Berko.

On Saturday top of the league Berko are at home to Colney Heath in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League.

Last season Heath did the double over Berko so there are scores to be settled.

The Reserves, meanwhile, go to Bovingdon on Saturday in the Herts Intermediate Cup.