Blues grab late winner to further extend lead

In their tightest game so far this season, Dunstable were held by ebullient Berkhamsted until the final two minutes when Damen Pickering squeezed in Wayne Mills’ free-kick at the near post to give the Blues victory as nearest rivals Aylesbury United were held to a 3-3 draw by Oxhey Jets.

Dunstable owed much to a brace of super saves from Paul Taylor as Town were made to fight hard for victory.

Director of football John McLoughlin said: “It was a really poor performance but three points gained. If I am honest a draw would of been a fair result but a great free-kick from Wayne Mills at the death allowed Damen Pickering to score at the near post to give us the points.

“Every team wants to beat us and Berko did not stop working and caused us problems. We were slow to start off which we have been on a few occasions now and one day this will haunt us, but all good sides can play poor and grind out a result.

“I remember watching Royston do this on a few games last year, I would also like to say that Paul Taylor played superbly last night and looks in fine form.”

With a midfield stalemate both sides employed long balls and Tony Burnett went close when he neatly dispossessed visiting keeper Carl Tasker but shot just wide.

Myles Stephenson tested Taylor more than once, and crosses from Frank Jowle and numerous corners called for interventions from Taylor, Danny Mead and Mills.

Top scorer Lee Roache was well marshalled, while Taylor had to save well from Stephenson at the start of the second half. The game took on a physical edge with four Berko and one Dunstable player entering the book, while Taylor also put in one controversial challenge.

Full-back Mills fired just wide and just as it looked like petering out into a draw Dunstable grabbed a late winner when Pickering headed home Mills’ free-kick at the near post.

A ferocious Berkhamsted free-kick in stoppage-time was smashed into the wall as both sides came close to scoring, but the Blues held on.

On Saturday a super second half show saw Dunstable fight back from a goal down to triumph 6-1 at Hatfield Town. A stuttering first half performance had seen the Blues fall behind on 11 minutes through Shane Wood’s deflected own goal.

But a half-time roasting saw Town roar back to seal victory with six unanswered second half goals from Burnett, Wood, Roache (2), substitute Nathan Frater and Danny Hutchins. This Saturday Dunstable host Aylesbury United in a top-of-the-table clash.

Blues: Taylor, Mills, Mead, Buchanan, Wood, Hutchins (Olaleye), Burnett, Carney (Francis), Roache, Frater (Pickering), Cooper.