Archive for August 18, 2013

FA CUP WIN FOR BERKO

August 18, 2013 at 12:18 pm · Filed under Comrades Match Reports

BERKHAMSTED 2 AFC DUNSTABLE 1

An unchanged Berko side edged AFC Dunstable out of the FA Cup on Saturday in an incident packed close match that included three penalties. The visitors took the lead in the 8th minute when centre half Ed Canham was caught pushing. Craig Butler stepped up to net from the penalty spot. Berko tried hard to get back in it, but the speedy BJ Christie and Stefan Tracey were proving a handful, especially with a yard or two’s start as the offside flag strangely stayed down on several occasions. Eventually their supply lines were cut off.

Steve Hawes nearly scored against his old club with a 25 yard drive that beat Ryan Darby in the Dunstable goal but just curled past the upright. Darby collected a header from skipper Dale Sears. Tracey placed the ball invitingly across the face of the goal, but Christie just failed to apply the finishing touch. Jordon Frederick has found his shooting boots and after scoring against Harefield in midweek, equalised just before the interval with a powerful shot that took a deflection off a defender, wrong footing Darby.

Early in the second half Frankie Jowle shot from the right and hit the cross bar with Darby stranded. Christie went close twice for the visitors after beating three men in a jinking run. Butler had a golden chance for the visitors when he found himself clear, but pushed the ball wide at the railway end.

Darby conceded a penalty with quarter of an hour remaining when he came to punch a cross and mistimed it, connecting with Berko substitute Josh Chamberlain’s head. Dunstable skipper James Baldry was booked for arguing about it, after Chamberlain had put Berko in front from the penalty spot.

Dunstable were given the chance to force a replay when a rash challenge from Jamie Gavin produced yet another penalty. Many managers do not let the same player take two penalties in a game, so Dale Turvey was given the job. He tried to be too clever, and assumed the goalkeeper would dive to one of the corners, so he struck it down the middle where Carl Tasker saved. So Berko will be at home to Harefield United in the next round on Saturday 31st August, as the Hares kod Woodford United 3-0 on Saturday.

Tasker; Gavin(Griggs), Copson, Rodrigoe, Canham(Towell), Sears, Jowle, Hawes, Calcutt, Frederick, McCarthy( Chamberlain).Substitutes not used Hickson, Thompson  & Mead.

The Suburban League season started on Saturday with Berko visiting Royston Reserves, last season’s Northern division winners. Two of the under 18 graduates Tommy Twelves and Mitchell Cole netted for the Comrades but they still went down 3-2. The Royston goalkeeper was man of the match for keeping out many Berko shots.

On Saturday Berko entertain Ampthill Town in the Premier division ko 3pm but will be missing Frankie Jowle, who starts a three match ban after his dismissal in the season opener at Hanwell Town. Ashley Addison could be fit to return. On Tuesday 27th Berko go to one of the Premier division favourites, St Margaretsbury ko 7:45pm. Duns 1Duns 5 Duns 9 More photos available at Berko FC Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/79444494835/. Thanks to Ray Canham, Frame One Photography for photos.

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