Match Report: Berkhamsted (A)

Barwell made the trip to the Home Counties to take on Berkhamsted, with their ground nestled between the canal at one end and the railway at the other. The Canaries got off to a bright start, the opening chance of the game coming after 7 minutes when Brady Hickey’s low shot was pushed wide by the home goalkeeper but nothing came of the following corner. Barwell kept the early pressure up, 5 minutes later Ethan Hill went on a dizzying run through the Berkhamsted midfield but his effort curled wide of the far post. The game quietened down following this, Barwell having plenty of the ball but couldn’t penetrate the backline of their hosts. With 35 minutes on the clock, Hill was once again in the action, his low cross evading everyone and almost curling into the bottom corner but a good save from the ‘Berko’ keeper forced a corner which nothing came from. The Berkhamsted keeper was almost caught with his trousers down after 42 minutes, his poor clearance fell to Jahvan Davidson-Miller on the halfway line who tried his luck but his long shot bounced wide. Davidson-Miller would make up for this miss just three minutes later, when he made the most of some miscommunication by the defence to flick past the keeper for 1-0 right on the stroke of half time

Half-Time: Berkhamsted 0-1 Barwell

The second half got off to a disaster start for Barwell, the hosts pulling themselves level after 47 minutes, a good free kick fell to Luke Massingham who smashed his shot into the top corner. Barwell were forced into their first substitution of the game when Isaiah Osbourne was forced off through injury, Tristan Dunkley his replacement. Davidson-Miller found himself in the thick of the Barwell attacks twice in quick succession, firstly when the ball dropped to him from a corner but his first time shot flew over the bar. A few minutes later he was able to dance past the challenges of two Berkhamsted defenders but his fierce shot flew wide. Berkhamsted would be in front after 74 minutes, a short corner routine allowed Thomas Newman to cross into the box, but his ball was misjudged by Brook and bounced into the far corner. Things could have gone from bad to worse for Barwell when Ruben Freeman was judged to have tripped the Berkhamsted striker in the box but Will Brook redeemed himself by saving the following penalty and then forcing the follow up shot wide. With 78 minutes played Aksum White entered the field of play replacing Freeman. White was called into almost immediate action as with just under ten minutes to play, the home side found themselves one on one with Brook who made himself big but the ball was chipped over him, but luckily White was there to track back and hook the ball away on the line. Deen Master was brought off in the 85th minute, Micah Edwards brought on in his place. Barwell knocked on the door with some late set pieces causing trouble for the Berkhamsted defence but nothing could come of it and Barwell left the market town empty handed. Barwell are winless on the road since the 10th February. They return to LE9 next weekend for their final home game against Redditch United.
Full-Time: Berkhamsted 2-1 Barwell