How are we going to follow the 10-goal thriller at The Tatnam? I cannot imagine we have ever seen anything quite like that or that we shall ever see it again.
Pat Lea & Joe Suraci will certainly have had some serious discussions since Tuesday after what Joe called an “Embarrassing“ performance.
As always in this league we have little time to dwell on the past and we prepare for the next match which will be at Berkhamsted on Saturday ko 3pm.
The Comrades come into the match on the back of a 2-0 defeat at league leaders Walton & Hersham and a 2-1 win at Taunton. In that game the points were earned in the 92nd minute with a strike from Luke Andrews
This puts them in a healthy 9th position (P18 W7 D5 L6 26 points) considering that they were one of the promoted teams last season. They are in 11th place in the form table P6 W2 D2 L2. They have lost just twice at home this season, the 3-0 defeat to Wimborne Town and the reverse to Walton & Hersham by the same scoreline.
Berkhamsted are a relatively new club which was formed in 2009 under experienced manager Micky Vipond and won the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division 2 title in its first season, losing only once each at home and away. They had a few seasons rising through the lower leagues until in 2023/24 season they played at step 3 for the first time. However, that season did not go too well and they were relegated back to the Southern Central Division 1.
2024/25 saw the Comrades promoted to Step 3 for the second time in their history after beating Flackwell Heath 5-0 in front of a record crowd (1,963) in the Southern League Div One Central Play off Final. The club nickname is “the Comrades” in recognition of the club being formed in the town by servicemen returning from the First World War more than 100 years ago.
The club is managed by Chris Devane who has overseen much of the club’s success in recent years. Chris has cemented himself at the helm of Berkhamsted FC and looks to steer an ambitious squad to more success this season
The draw on Tuesday keeps us in 5th place (P17 W9 D4 L4 31 points) and the gap between the chasing pack and Walton & Hersham gets ever wider. They now have 44 points from 17 games with just the one defeat.
We have been performing well on the road and have picked up 13 points from our 8 fixtures.
Joe hinted at some changes in his post-match interview with Connor Hannon so we will be watching closely at the starting 11.
With everything still to play for and many points up for grabs we must approach each game with the utmost determination and with confidence.
Enjoy the game
Neil Wellington
