Farnham Town moved up to second place in the Southern League Premier South with a 1-0 win at home to Berkhamsted.

Bobby-Joe Taylor’s second-half goal was enough to give Town all three points in front of a crowd of 843 The Memorial Ground.

The opening half an hour proved to be a tight affair, with both sides probing for an opener but neither goalkeeper called into action.

Town went close to taking the lead in the 38th minute when Kai Tanner whipped an inviting ball into the box from the right, but no one was able to get on the end of it.

Farnham manager Paul Johnson had to make an enforced substitution on 40 minutes, with Imran Uche replacing the injured Joe Jackson.

Johnson made two further changes at half-time, with Owen Dean and Taylor replacing Adam Liddle and Tom Leggett.

The visitors had the first opportunity of the second half when the ball broke to J J Lacey on the edge of the box in the 49th minute, but Lacey curled his right-foot effort over the bar.

Town had a good chance a minute later when Rhys Murphy got on the end of Harry Cooksley’s ball in behind, but Murphy’s effort was held by Berkhamsted keeper Charlie Horlock.

Lacey went close again for the visitors on 52 minutes when his swerving effort from the edge of the box was diverted away from danger by Farnham keeper Michael Eacott with his legs.

Town broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Billy Clifford won a loose ball and squared to Taylor, who clinically drilled his finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The assist proved to be Clifford’s final involvement of the afternoon, with Johnson immediately making another double substitution and bringing on Darryl Sanders and Mat Mackenzie for Clifford and Murphy.

The visitors nearly got back on level terms on 67 minutes when Pierce Mitchell’s header fell to James Gurteen, whose volley hit the side netting.

Bekhamsted had another chance a minute later when Luke Andrews struck his effort wide of the left-hand post.

The visitors went close again in the 70th minute when Lacey’s shot forced a smart save from Eacott and the ball rebounded back to Lacey, who put his follow-up effort over the bar.

Town nearly scored a second in stoppage time when Harry Cooksley sprayed the ball out to Taylor on the right-hand side, who cut inside and blasted his left-foot effort over the bar from a tight angle.

Berkhamsted were unable to find a late leveller as Farnham picked up all three points and moved above Gloucester City into second place in the league table.

Next up for Farnham is a trip to Taunton Town in the Southern League Premier South on Monday, April 20 (7.45pm kick-off).