Berkhamsted ready for Vase Final

Aston Villa fans may have been starved of goal-mouth action this season but they are unlikely to see a boring stalemate if they pop along to Villa Park on Sunday.

That's when Ryman League, Second Division side Berkhamsted will play Western League runaway leaders Taunton in the FA Vase Final there.

The two teams have bagged nearly 300 goals between them this season, with The Lilywhites netting 130 times in 56 games and favourites Taunton scoring more than 160 times in 49 matches.

The Hertfordshire side have a strong front two with Ben Smith and John Richardson but Taunton have one of the most prolific marksmen in non-League football in Nottingham Forest target Antony Lynch. He has found the net 48 times this campaign and his strike partner, Ellis Laight, has scored 36 times.

Berkhamsted manager Steve Bateman, a former Everton Youth Cup Finalist, said: "Everyone is mentioning how lethal Taunton are in front of goal but in young Ben we have a very talented front player of our own. They should be worrying about him."

Berkhamsted may be hampered by having had to play their last 16 league games in 23 days culminating in last night's 1-1 draw at Cheshunt as they battled for promotion to Division One.