Berkhamsted 3 Hertford 2
Berkhamstead were visited by unbeaten, table topping Hertford on Saturday, and with of the two meanest defences and free scoring sides in the league present a close game was expected.
It was the visitors who settled the quicker and had the best of the early exchanges, though without really troubling goalkeeper Cremin.
 Berkhamsted slowly settled and the midfield of Savage, Leathem, Peplow and Silver began to take control of the game and push Hertford back, with several good crosses flying across the face of the goal without anyone getting on the end of them.
The pressure Berkhamsted applied eventually turned into short corners. It was from one of these that a shot by Allam could only be parried by a diving keeper to Duncan Hodges, who reverse stick flicked it over the prone keeper into the net to give Berkhamstead the lead.Â
This gave the home side more confidence and with Allam, Peplow, Love and both Tim and Will Westly all creating good chances Berkhamsted were unlucky not to extend the lead and kill off the game.
Just before half time Savage had to go off with a calf strain, and this unsettled the pattern the home side had been playing. Hertford began to work there way back into the game and just before the break were awarded a hotly disputed short corner. In a well worked move the initial shot was deflected in from the right post to level the scores.
Not long into the second half good build up play was capped by the skipper James Barron restoring the lead when firing home from the middle of the D.
This spurred on Hertford who soon from another well worked set piece from just outside the top of the ’D’ deflected home the ball to level the scores again.
In an end to end period, Berkhamsted were then themselves awarded a free hit at the top of the ‘D’. The ball was slipped to Hodges who cracked the ball through a crowd of players and into the goal.
For the rest of the game Hertford had most of the possession and pressure searching for yet another equaliser, with Berkhamstead looking dangerous on the break. However, good goal scoring opportunities were few and far between for either side, with the Berkhamsted defence holding firm.
Â
Just as the final whistle went Hertford got one last chance to rescue a point when they awarded another short corner. Charlie Michie got out to the striker and deflected the ball off the pitch to seal the victory. |
Men 
