Berkhamsted VS St Ives Town-Match Preview
It’s a trip to Hertfordshire for Ives in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round as they break from league action to take on Berkhamsted in the latest instalment of England’s oldest club competition.
Ives head into FA Cup weekend having made a steady start to their Southern League Premier Division Central season, with manager Ricky Marheineke’s men amassing five points from their opening five fixtures. A win against Berko on Saturday would not only mean progression into the next round, but also represent Ives first away win of the season.
Despite a strong defensive performance against a relatively strong Real Bedford side last weekend, there’s no doubt that the Ives players will be looking to get into the habit of being more clinical in the final third, starting with this weekend’s opponents.
Last year’s cup run saw Ives do exactly that, scoring 10 goals on their way to the Third Qualifying Round, with emphatic wins against Harpenden and Saturday’s hosts Berkhamsted, before bowing out at home to local rivals Kettering Town.
Ives have already drawn two of their opening fixtures so far this season and in the event that this tie ends in a stalemate, a replay will be scheduled to take place on the following Monday evening ( 1st September) at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.
Berkhamsted FC
The Comrades have made a superb start to life back in non-league’s third tier following their promotion from the Southern League Central Division, with manager Chris Devine’s side currently sitting in 6th place, only one point off league leaders Sholing.
Berko finished in 2nd place behind Real Bedford who ran away with the league title with 104 points, with Devine’s men beating Flackwell Heath 5-0 in the Play-Off Final, as they wrapped up promotion in the most emphatic fashion.
As well as activity on the pitch, there has also been some big news off it, with long-time Chairman of the club Steve Davis stepping down from his position after four decades of service. The news was announced on Berkhamsted’s official club website on the 18th of August and since then there has been no news on a potential replacement.
Last Time Out
The last time these two teams faced off against each other was in last year’s Second Qualifying Round, with Ives running out 5-0 winners at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road. However, with both teams experiencing a substantial amount of change on and off the pitch since their last meeting, Saturday’s match is shaping up to be a much closer affair.
Last 5 Meetings
St Ives Town 5-0 Berkhamsted-14th September 2024
Berkhamsted 1-1 St Ives Town (Friendly)-13th July 2024
St Ives Town 1-0 Berkhamsted-23rd March 2024
Berkhamsted 0-2 St Ives Town-25th November 2023
St Ives Town 2-1 Berkhamsted-7th September 2019
