Berkhamsted 4 Woodford United 1

FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round, Saturday 5th September 2015

I was over at Broadwater for the start of my FA Vase run as Berkhamsted hosted Woodford United in the First Qualifying Round of the competition.

Berko were 6th in the SSML Premier after a decent start to their season whilstNorthamptonshire side Woodford were down towards the foot of the UCL Division One after five defeats from six league games.

The hosts were therefore expected to win this tussle fairly comfortably this being Step Five versus Step Six as well. However it was the visitors who carved out the first sniff of goal on 5 minutes when King almost found a sight of goal when he found room inside the box but the ball got stuck under his feet and the defenders managed to smother him out.

Woodford continued with their decent opening spell and on 8 minutes saw the ball fall to Drinkwater inside the hosts box but his effort lacked power and was easy for Tasker to save. For all their opening endeavours it was the hosts who should have taken a tenth minute lead when a ball into the visitors box saw Eboji, who was a late replacement for O’Donovan who subsequently dropped to the bench, totally unmarked in the six yard box but he totally mis-headed the ball and keeper Baxter easily gathered the loose ball.

This didn’t deter the visitors though who almost took a deserved lead on 16 minutes when after the ball had fallen to Stowe inside the box he poked an effort at goal and saw Berko defender Edwards clear off the line before he was fouled. Three minutes later and the visitors were in again as King found himself clean through after beating the offside trap but he dragged his effort horribly wide and the forward hung his head in shame. It was a big chance.

The visitors were almost made to pay for these misses on 20 minutes when Berko had a chance after the keeper came and beats Nash-Barker to the ball on the edge of his box and he subsequently totally miskicked his clearance straight to Berko’s Carbexy whose effort towards the goal was headed away by a defender, saving Baxter’s blushes in the process.

The hosts had started slowly but seemed to be finally clicking into gear and on 24 minutes their first bit of good football saw full back Edwards played in but his effort from the angle came back off the near post and out for goal kick. It was close but three minutes later the hosts did take the lead when after the referee had played a good advantage the ball fell to Jackson on the edge of the box and he took a touch before firing past Baxter. Berkhamsted 1 Woodford United 0.

The hosts were now flying and two minutes later they doubled the lead when more good football saw Eboji get down the left and square the ball across goal for Jowle to finish from close range giving Baxter no chance and the hosts suddenly had breathing space in this tie.Berkhamsted 2 Woodford United 0.

The visitors continued to threaten when they did get forward though and moments later almost grabbed one back when Andyoitos got in down the left and drilled a decent effort across goal but it went just wide. Moments later the hosts went close again when a great strike from Farrelly saw keeper Baxter parry and almost gifted the hosts a free rebound but the keeper just about smothered this chance and prevented further damage.

Ten minutes before half time a good ball in by Berko defender Baldry saw Eboji head over when totally unmarked but a minute later Eboji made amends for this miss when he converted Nash-Barker’s centre from close range after good work on the left from the provider. It was now looking like a comfortable afternoon for the hosts after a difficult opening. Berkhamsted 3 Woodford United 0.

Moments later it was almost four when the hosts got in again but the effort from Jackson was tipped wide by Baxter although the referee gave a goal kick for some reason. A minute before half time the visitors won a free kick in decent position after Drinkwater was fouled but King’s effort went miles over. The final chance of the half went to the hosts though when good play between Jowle and Edwards saw the latter in but good defending saw them block the effort.

Half Time Berkhamsted 3 Woodford United 0

Berko should of made it four moments into the second half when a great jinking run into the box by Jowle ended with him smacking the ball over from close range when it looked easier to score. Apart from this the opening exchanges of the second half were no where near as high a tempo as the first half had been.

Just before the hour mark a deflected effort from the visitors bounced up off the hard surface and gave Tasker a problem he didn’t expect to have originally and he had to be alert to tip the ball over the bar. A minute later came a talking point when United’s Parkinson took Berko’s Farrelly out late and the hosts midfielder pushed the visiting player over in frustration and saw the visitors call for a red card. However Farrelly was booked for his troubles whilst Parkinson was also booked for the original tackle. This upset the visiting players and officials who seemed to believe the were not getting the rub of the green with many of the referee’s decisions.

However the visitors were again enjoying a decent spell and on 65 minutes substitute Miller produced some good work down the right and then squared for Andyoitos whose effort was saved by Tasker. Berko had dropped the pace slightly and were going through the motions it seemed, a dangerous tactic indeed.

Two minutes later after Berko’s Jowle’s diagonal ball almost saw substitute O’Donovan get in the visitors winger Andyoitos bursts into the hosts box and flashed another effort across goal and was frustrated that no one was on the end of it. However with twenty minutes to go the visitors finally got on the scoresheet when a poor clearance from the hosts found Hendersonaround thirty yards out and he promptly smacked an effort past Tasker brilliantly and gave the Northamptonshire side a glimer of hope. Berkhamsted 3 Woodford United 1.

This seemed to wake the hosts up again and two minutes later great skill from substitute O’Donovan saw his centre find Eboji who somehow headed wide from point blank range as the hosts looked to finally kill off their dogged opponents. On 79 minutes a decent corner from Berko winger Jackson was bundled wide of the far post with keeper Baxter needing some treatment after clattering into the post under a sea of bodies.

Two minutes later and the tie was sealed when a one two between O’Donovan and Jowle saw the former ghost into the box and finish smartly across Baxter into the far corner for another well worked goal. Berkhamsted 4 Woodford United 1.

A special mention for Berkhamsted’s midfield mastro Frank Jowle, who was subbed with four minutes left. He had been the best player on the pitch today in what was a superb all round performance from the Berko player. He certainly more than helped his side to victory against stubborn opponents who also more than played their part in this tie. It is however the hosts who progress through to play Northampton St Chenecks in the Second Qualifying Round on October 3rd.

Full Time Berkhamsted 4 Woodford United 1

Berkhamsted 1.Tasker 2.Edwards 3.Weeks 4.Baldry 5.Hawes 6.Farrelly 7.Jowle 8.Carbexy 9.Eboji 10.Nash-Barker 11.Jackson
Subs 12.O’Donovan 14.Ward 15.Trevillion

Woodford United 1.Baxter 2.Sell 3.Worrell 4.Stowe 5.Parkinson 6.Thomas 7.Edwards 8.Henderson 9.Drinkwater 10.King 11.Andyoitos
Subs 12.Powell GK Sulyman 14.Miller