BURNHAM PUSH LEAGUE CHAMPIONS ALL THE WAY
On a fine sunny day burnham took at last to a dry pitch and glorious weather to take on league champions weston hornets in a much anticipated derby. With burnham safe and hornets champions then you would think that this game wouldnt have much to play for but this was a local derby and a chance for burnham to show the promise for the next season and also to give the sizeable crowd a decent positive performance.
From the off burnham started the quicker of the 2 sides and laid seige to hornets line with some impressive scrummaging and great phase play but they could not break down a resolute defence from hornets. From a ruck in hornets 22 burnham got turned over and their skillful outside centre was able to race in from inside his own half thanks to some lacklustre tackling from burnham. 5-0.
It wasnt long before burnham were again behind to a carbon copy try of hornets first and with another try 10 mins later burnham although having all the play and territory were behind the posts 19-0 down and looking at a possible big loss.
But right at the end of the first half burnham produced a fine bit of rugby to score in the corner through matt love.
halftime 19-5.
The halftime teamtalk was to cut out the mistakes and turn the pressure into points.
With that in mind burnham flew out the blocks and got themselves straight back into the hornets 22 from a hornets scrum with assertive pressure from burnhams forwards who were impressive throughout the game, allowed piper to hassle their big number 8 at the base of the scrum and won a penalty, from the his tap he was blocked by hornets player coach who subsequently earned himself a yellow card. With a penalty in front of the posts pike opted for the points only for piper to uncharacteristicly miss.
Hornets cleared from there 22 with the dropout for stu blake to catch and carry forward and then release the pass to piper who in turn broke the line to then feed on to captain russ pike who with an old school side step past their winger to score. piper made up for his miss to take the score to 12-19.
Burnhams tails were now up and could sense another score, straight from the kick off burnhams powerhouse second row housey caught and set up clean ball for elisi to kick down field and with a good chase from burnhams backs hornets cleared their lines straight into pipers arms who then showed a clean pair of heels to skip past two defenders and race into the corner with hornets cover defence speeding across he slipped the ball inside to russ pike who again showed his worth by touching down for his second of the day. 17-19.
Again with the sense of an upset nearing burnham made full advantage of being a man up and went straight back onto the front foot and into the oppositions 22 where the steaming locomotive that is alan house smashed through the defence to swallow dive over the line. With piper adding the conversion burnham were up 24-19.
With hornets back to a full compliment their defence tightened up and soaked up all that burnham could throw at them with one attempt held up and another one being tackled into touch Burnham were now tiring and were on the back foot.
With such pressure on them from the champions burnham ended up conceding 2 tries in the last few minutes to take the score to 24-33.
What a game from both teams, hornets showed why they have became champions with their much superior fitness and experience and congrtaulations to them on winning the league. As for burnham an outstanding performance at last one that now puts them in good stead for next season the belief is now there and with a new structures and plans in place for next season then it is down to all players to committ.
Man of the match was tim piper with a virtuoso performance at scrum half.
Last away game of the season on saturday against keynsham burnham ask for as many supporters to come away with them so they can show their appreciation for the season.