Berkhamsted 1 Hatfield Town 4
Berkhamsted manager Mick Vipond is urging his side to learn from their heavy defeat to Hatfield on Saturday.
The Comrades were given a lesson in finishing as Hatfield raced into a 3-1 lead before half time, and there was no way back from there for Vipond’s young side.
“I told the boys that if you want to learn and progress as a footballer, you have to experience these sorts of games,” said Vipond.
“They were a much more experienced side than us and we perhaps paid the price for our naivety.
“We are a young side and have to accept that there will be times when it will seem like men against boys.”
Berko made the worst possible start on Saturday when new signing Ross Miller deflected the ball into his own net inside two minutes.
Jack Coombs made it 2-0 in the 15th minute, before Lewis Pritchard pulled a goal back for Berko midway through the first half.
Any hopes of a Comrades comeback were dashed in the 35th minute, however, when Hatfield’s Jay Welsh made it 3-1 to the visitors.
The Comrades improved after the break, with Connor Calcutt heading over the bar from an excellent Frankie Jowle cross.
Berko keeper Carl Tasker tipped an effort over the bar at the Canal End, before Pritchard headed against the post from a Calcutt cross as the Comrades tried to hit back.
Chances came and went for the home side, but it was Hatfield who netted the only goal of the second half to seal the win.
Jowle was beaten for pace and pulled down Chris Webb to concede a penalty which Matt Hodges tucked away with seven minutes remaining.
“Inevitably, when we have a game like that we are going to concede goals,” said Vipond.
“We had plenty of the ball and tried to do the right things with it. We created more chances but they took theirs and we didn’t.
“But we are a young side and there is plenty to be positive about.”