Burnham 2nd XV   25      Somerton 1st XV     17

Burnham side went into this game full of confidence from there two previous consecutive wins bolstered with several key players retuning from injury against a team who yet to loose this season which was a recipe for a good game.
The home side started brightly with the wind behind them and used the elements to pin back the visitors within there half for the first 10 minutes. With a majority of possession the Burnham pack produced some quickball from a ruck for Lee Berry to spin out the ball to Mike Whitfield at flyhalf and Josh Holder at inside centre who slipped his first tackle, commited the next and popped the ball to Will Grant who sprinted over for the first score of the game. Try unconverted 5-0.
From the KO, Burnham found themselves back in the visitors 22 and were award a penalty in front of the posts for the tackler not rolling away which Josh Holder gladly slotted over the posts to take a 8 nil lead after 15 minutes.
Burnham did stop there as Whitfield, Holder, Ginge, Osgood and Catlon were quickly up on the opposing back line forcing several handling errors. Scrum down, Burnham ball, Berry swiftly out to Whitfield, then to Holder who took the tackle and pop to Ginge, try scored but sadly unconverted 13-0. But is did not stop there as Burnham continued to pile the pressure on Somerton backs  who managed to loose the ball at a ruck. The resulting turn over ball found its self in the hands of Whitfield who dummied his opposite number and forced his way over for Burnhams third try which was converted by Holder to increase the score to 20-0 with 2 minutes left of the first half.
Somerton then decided enough was enough and from the kick off forced Burnham to knock the ball on, scrum down, the 8 collected from the base of the scrum who gained several meters but the home pack went in off there feet giving away a penalty which nobody reacted too and just let the Somerton player run the last 10m’s for a easy try just before half time to give the visitors a glimmer of hope.
That glimmer of hope soon changed into, ‘we can win this men’ and Burnham allowed Somerton back into the game with indiscipline at the break down and trying to change the referees decision after his made his decision, which never works. This gave Somerton more possession for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Burnham found themselves stuck in there own 22, as the first half, penatly to Somerton and you can guess the rest, they did it again. Just ran through the defence to score a second easy try under the posts to bring to score to 20-12.
Burnham then changed there game plan, and with the wind dropping, we able to push Somerton back in there half, forcing a line out from 15m out. Catch and drive was the call, and boy did it work, Tom Stevens took the ball who slammed it in the podgy midriff of Gilly Hicks, with the remainder of the pack behind him pushing the Somerton forwards back until Gilly could just about manage to see the try line and forced his way over to ease the pressure and increase to gap to 25-12.
The home side yet again conceded a weak try soon after to complete the game at 25-17.
Burnham must learn not to give away silly penalties and when they do not switch off when penalties are given by the ref. This all comes down to training as team, which they currently seem to struggle to do but if they did train as a team, would be higher up the table.
Burnham 2nd XV travel to Wiveliscombe 2nd XV on Saturday with a 3.00pm KO

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