Berkhamsted Football Club
The ComradesNEW SEASON
Our first competitive game of the new season will be a home match with Hoddesdon Town in the Herts. Charity Shield, a chance to avenge this season’s defeat in the same competition when the sides last met. The game will be played on a date to be arranged pre-season and the winners will be at home to Welwyn Garden City or Hadley in the quarter final.
The Spartan South Midlands League season starts on Saturday 10th August. The constitution will not be finally decided until the AGM on 22 June (but we should see proposals before then). The FA have published the draft leagues above us, so we know that there are no clubs coming down to the Premier to replace the now definitley promoted duo of Dunstable Town and Aylesbury United. There will be only one promotion place for us to chase next season as the transition to bigger divisions above us is now over. We may see relegation reprieves, sideways transfers from other leagues or even extra promotion from division 1 to make up the Premier division numbers this summer.
The FA Cup begins on Saturday 17th August as does our reserve league (the Suburban).
Keith Hicks is organising the pre-season friendlies and there will be a double header at Broadwater on the afternoon of Saturday 27th July with Southend Manor, who will be bringing sides over by coach for first team and reserve games against us on the same day.
CHARITY FUN DAY SUNDAY 12TH MAY
Berkhamsted Football Club is all set to host a celebrity six-a-side football tournament and family fun day to raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Organiser Benny Mitchell, 62, and his brother Michael – an experienced marathon runner – have both beaten the illness, inspiring Benny to set up a charity called A Sporting Hand.
And Berkhamsted man Benny hopes that the fundraiser, which will take place from 1.45pm on Sunday, will help bring in vital funds for Lister Hospital in Stevenage.
“It’s a day of fun with a serious side to it – and that is making people aware of prostate cancer,” said Benny.
“I and Michael have lived to tell the tale about prostate cancer, but many of our friends haven’t been so lucky, including Mark Osborne, a good pal of mine from Berkhamsted FC. We hope this event will go some way to addressing that sad fact.”
The day will feature a celebrity six-a-side tournament, which looks set to boast some famous footballing names including Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn, Watford favourite Tommy Smith, former Luton boss Mick Harford, Tring-based former top referee Graham Poll, and Cardiff boss Malky Mackay.
There will also be an exhibition match from Watford Ladies FC, plus live music, hot food, children’s entertainment, and Watford FC’s play-off clash shown live on TV.
For further information, call Benny on 07973 863815 or Berkhamsted FC chairman Steve Davis on 07968 476314.
BERKO LAND ST MARYS CUP
BERKHAMSTED 3 TRING ATHLETIC 1
Berkhamsted landed their first cup since the club was formed four seasons ago, with a comfortable win over Tring Athletic on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday at Broadwater in front of Berko’s biggest home crowd of the season.
They never looked back after taking the lead in the 18th minute. Frankie Jowle was brought down on the right wing and the resulting free kick was launched into the penalty area by Bekim Culaj and skipper Dale Sears headed powerfully into the roof of the over Mike Underwood in the Tring goal.
Carl Tasker pulled off a fine save for Berko just before the interval. It was game over early in the second half when Connor Calcutt came in from the left hand side of the penalty area and doubled the lead with a shot in the 47th minute. It helped him win the man of the match award in memory of Mick Piatek and also ensured he finished as Berko’s top scorer this season.
Ten minutes later Berko were three up when Jordon Frederick headed his first goal of 2013. Berko brought on three substitutes in the last quarter of an hour to share the glory. However, Myles Stephenson got booked. Some tricky runs from him and Jowle nearly produced further goals and Josh Chamberlain had a shot saved. However, Tring got a consolation goal with a header from close range.
Mick Vipond’s team have had a good year of cup runs and will be looking to strengthen the squad to improve on their mid-table league finish next season.
Tasker, Gavin, Rodrigoe, Culaj,Sears, Frederick, Jowle, Griggs (Thompson),Calcutt(Pritchard), Towell(Stephenson), Chamberlain. Subs not used Morrissey& Sedgley.
BERKO AT HOME IN BANK HOLIDAY ST MARYS CUP FINAL
The St Marys cup final between Berkhamsted and Tring Athletic on Bank Holiday Monday 6th May will now take place at Berkhamsted’s Broadwater ground ko 3pm. The venue has been switched away from Hemel, as they are now in a play off that day. It is the first cup final that the new Berkhamsted club has reached since it was formed four seasons ago.
Berko’s under 18s went out of the Colwyn Cup on Tuesday night 1-0 at home to Sawbridgeworth Town, who scored a late goal. The injury hit home side put up a brave performance after being reduced to 10 men when Ashely Morrissey was sent off mid way through the first half.
Berko sign off with league win
LONDON TIGERS 1 BERKHAMSTED 4
Berko travelled to London and won their final league match of the season in the Premier division, by completing a double over the Tigers side that just finished above the relegation places. Carl Tasker returned in goal for Berko and Yusef Seodi made his first start after progressing through the club’s youth and reserve sides on Saturday. Connor Calcutt opened the scoring for Berko in the 25th minute with a shot. James Towell added the second before half time with the goal of the match by netting from a tight angle.
Second half substitute youth team player Ashley Morrissey came on and grabbed his first senior goal to make it 3-0, when he converted from a right wing cross. Calcutt scored again to make it 4-0 to make the travelling support happy. It takes him to joint top scorer with Lawrence Bunker on 16 goals for the season to date
Tigers got a consolation goal through Santos in the last minute with one of their rare attacks of the match after Berko lost the ball in midfield. The win left Berko 11thof 22 in the final league table.
Tasker, Gavin, Chamberlain. Culaj Rodrigoe, Frederick, Jowle (Morrissey), Seodi (Sedgley), Stephenson (Pritchard), Calcutt, Towell, Subs not used Thompson & Griggs.
Berko’s reserve team also concluded their league season on Saturday drawing 1-1 at home to Newport Pagnell Town in the Suburban League North. The visitors took an early lead but Ben Humphrey rescued a point with a header as Berko played some neat football in Dave Walters’ last game in charge. Joe Sweeney who currently manages Berko’s midweek under 18 side is stepping up to reserve manager for next season.
END OF LEAGUE SEASON
b>FINAL LEAGUE GAMES
On Saturday Berko end their league season with a trip to play London Tigers. Mick Vipond should have keeper Carl Tasker available for selection again.
Berko’s reserve team also conclude their season with a home match against Newport Pagnell Town in the Suburban League North on Saturday ko3pm.
BERKHAMSTED 2 ST MARGARETSBURY 4
Skipper Dale Sears returned after suspension and youth team goalkeeper Tom Calverley and James Towell got their first starts of the season in Berko’s last home game of the season. Connor Calcutt made the breakthrough putting Berko ahead after 40 minutes as the home team broke away and he hit a fine shot past Matt Deamer from the edge of the penalty area. A flare up ended with two of the visitors getting booked and so did Myles Stephenson. Foolishly he then fouled Joel Maybury in front of the dug outs to leave his side a man short just before the interval.
Calcutt increased Berko’s lead in the second half but with only 10 men it was going to be a struggle to hold on for the hottest day of the season. So it proved as the visitors grabbed four goals in the last 20 minutes. Leigh Rose got the first from a Dave Edmee cross.Lewis Rodrigoe conceded a penalty which Lee Roberts converted. Edmee and Rose took the three points for St Margaretsbury with further goals in the closing stages.
Calverley, Gavin, Rodrigoe, Towell, Sears, Culaj , Jowle, Frederick, Calcutt, Stephenson Chamberlain. Subs Pritchard,Bunker&Seodi-Not used Thompson & Sedgley,
ANOTHER DRAW FOR BERKO
BERKHAMSTED 2 HERTFORD TOWN 2
Hertford came to Broadwater on Saturday afternoon hoping to clinch their survival in the Premier division with an unlikely win and it seems to be going to their plan until Berko drew level with the last kick of the match to earn a draw. However, it turned out the single point was enough to make Hertford safe, as Holmer Green and Hatfield Town will be the bottom two, as Town slumped to a 10-1 defeat at Oxhey Jets, where Lewis Putman scored six to take his tally to 79 goals for the season.
Mick Vipond recalled Carl Tasker in goal as the only change from the starting eleven that beat Hatfield last week. Berko fell behind early on when Albert Adu got the ball with his back to goal and was allowed to turn and shoot the opening goal. Berko thought they had scored at the railway end but the assistant referee did not flag to indicate the ball had crossed the line, so the referee played on. Tasker pulled off some fine saves, with the pick of the bunch being when he tipped a header from the impressive visiting skipper Tom Wade over the bar. Josh Chamberlain suffered a broken shin pad and had to come off after a horrendous tackle and James Towell replaced him in the 25th minute. Myles Stephenson scored for the third successive game to equalise for Berkhamsted when he pounced on a loose ball and shot past Lewis Kidd in the visiting goal shortly before the interval.
The main talking point of the second half was the number of times Berko were given offside when their forwards came from behind defenders. There was also controversy at the other end when Mark Summers gave Hertford the lead when he nodded home a cross from Wade with no offside flag showing. Jordon Frederick ran though several challenges but was foiled by a save from the exposed Kidd.
Berko have been missing Lawrence Bunker for the last 20 games, but when he came on for the final stages he showed he has not lost his goalscoring touch and he got on the end of a Frankie Jowle cross from the right wing to poke the ball past Kidd to make it 2-2 for his 16th goal of the season. There was no time for Hertford to get back as the referee blew his whistle as soon as game restarted.
Tasker; Gavin, Rodrigoe, Sedgley, Fongho, Culaj , Jowle, Frederick, Stephenson (Pritchard). Thompson (Bunker), Chamberlain(Towell). Subs not used Seodi & Morrissey.
A young Berko reserve side drew 0-0 at Newport Pagnell Town to pick up their second away draw of the week. On Wednesday they surprised second placed Ashford Town with a 2-2 draw when youngsters Tom Read and Mitchell Cole got the goals.
On Saturday Berko have their final home game of the season when they entertain 4th places St Margaretsbury at Broadwater. Dale Sears could be back after suspension and Mick Vipond will be waining to hear if Dan Griggs, Connor Calcutt and Josh Chamberlain recover from knocks before naming his side.
On Thursday 18th Berko’s under 18 side go to Oxhey Jets in the quarter final of the Brian Hitchings Cup.
