This Saturday it’s a tale of two diametrically opposed sides in the Southern Premier Division, as second place Redditch United will face twenty-first place and relegation candidates Berkhamsted FC.
The Reds will come into this game with something to prove to their fans after disappointingly being knocked out of the Worcestershire Senior Cup in the semi-finals at home by rivals Alvechurch on penalties last Monday.
That being said, Redditch do have the backing of fantastic home form this season in the league only losing twice out of sixteen games.
Berkhamsted will be facing an uphill battle as they face title contenders for the fourth time in five weeks.
The Comrades sit twenty first in the league but only because last place Nuneaton Borough have been disbanded leaving many doubts about the teams capability.
Furthermore, Chris Devane’s side have not won a game since the thirtieth of December against Hitchin Town where they won 3-1 away from home.
The gloomy season Berkhamsted are having has many roots, but the most notable one has to be that the freshly promoted side had to be rebuilt after, according to the club website, few of the team ‘fancied’ travel in the new division.
For the Reds however, it’s been mainly bright spells all season as activity in the transfer window has only strengthened the squad with loanees Morgan Owen and Jordan Cranston signing extensions to the end of the season and the acquisition of Matt Fulloway from Sporting Khalsa have only bolstered the teams promotion charge.
This game will be hard to forecast as Berkhamsted proved they have been developing well since their ex-manager Steve Heath and his coaching staff resigned in late December and will likely not be pushovers, as they managed a dignifying performance against league leaders Needham Market in their last game losing 3-2.
In terms of key players, for the Reds you can look no further than ex-Walsall midfield maestro Reece Flanagan who has drawn blood fifteen times in all competitions for United and undoubtably if he is on the pitch he’ll be a catalyst for many positives against lower opposition.
Looking to the travelling side it’s difficult to highlight where the danger will come from as their top scorer Nathan Frater has only two goals this season, their saving grace will have to be turning to their defensive play but having conceded sixty-four in the league so far it’s looking like the Comrades will have to show their togetherness to pursue a result.
Last time these team faced it took Redditch until the ninety-fourth minute to score a winner in a 2-1 victory at Broadwater, will it be a tight game today or will the Reds wash away all hope of Berkhamsted’s survival?
