Burnham 2s 19 Cheddar 41
“Cheddar sustain their Cheesy Grin” 

The Burnham 2s hosted the league leaders Cheddar on Saturday, Cheddar are a class act as was experienced last season and based on some of the performances of this  season they have built on their skill base.
The day was perfect for running rugby BASC looked a picture in the afternoon sun shine.
Burnham had built up a formidable side in anticipation of this encounter. Skipper Matt Slater had an impressive array of talent hanging from his belt with some 22 players making themselves available for this confrontation.
The game got underway and Cheddar set their stall out from the word go, they were very  impressive at the  loose play breakdowns;  with  alert  backs that  were gagging to  run at  Burnham, and  they  did. The Burnham defence held with some impressive tackling from skipper Matt Slater, Nick Mcken, OZ and Dan Spellman as the attrition rate built up it was clear that the visitors were focused on running amok in the Burnham 22; with the home side very much on the back foot it was not long before the defence was breached resulting in a try scored and converted.
On the restart Burnham unleashed a flurry of penetrating moves but was thwarted by a lack of cohesion at the breakdown of play which was capitalised on by a more organised Cheddar side. It was not long before their strong inside centre and speedy left wing exploited the home side defence and run in another try; converted. This really was the  tale of the  half where the visitors capitalised on Burnham’s mistakes and were able to  rack  the  score board up to 29 Points as the half  drew to  a close, nevertheless they  knew they  were in a game where Burnham would not  capitulate, hard  tackles   were being put in, OZ went ‘ man down’ and left  the  field  walking wounded, within moments up went  the  cry  ‘man down’ this  time it  was  the  captain, Slater who  had  been  taken out and  left  the field to   get patched up, he was  replaced by Shaun who stood in with great  aplomb.
Burnham’s only consolation of the half was an opportunist try by Matt Love converted by Ryan Reynolds. Half time score Burnham 7 Cheddar 29.
At the interval back brief it was made clear that Burnham was showing too much respect to the visitors and that belief in one’s self must be the rally call, the team captain re-joined the action and the second half got underway. It was a more determined Burnham side that restarted replacement’s had come on board  in the  form of Ben Gibb and Chris  Leigh; Will Grant; Donnelly had gone as had Ryan Reynolds, alas the visitors stated as they had left off  with  a huge exertion of  pressure which again paid off  as they  crossed the  line through their slick winger,   Cheddar were being made to fight for every point gained and if sheer effort  was calculated in points Burnham would  have taken the lead, but the confidence   was beginning to  grow and  show, Cheddar were  beginning to  show cracks, from a break up  the  left  wing by Will Grant, and a series of pick; pass;  and go resulted in Ben Gibb receiving  a pass some 12m from the Cheddar line he kick over the defence; ran on, collected  and  scored, try ; unconverted.
This brought an aura of self-belief to  the home side who  piled the  pressure onto  the visitors they were being placed under extreme pressure as the game progressed, crunching tackle’s was being made by Chris Leigh, Matt Glanville, and many more which  was leaving a trail of Cheddar bodies over the field. This pressure was rewarded when good ball was recycled from the loose which by this stage Burnham had got right, resulting in the  forwards through Slater, linking with  backs from an brick busting thrust from Leigh drawing three Cheddar players the ball was distributed to  Matt Love who finished the effort off with  a fine try, converted by Spellman.
The visitors were rattled by this new found heart in the Burnham side and were visibly shaken by the  Gusto that was being thrown at  them; it was however the visitors who  had the last  word as they took the points from a penalty in the closing stages of the  game.
Cheddar are a steady  unit and it will  be  very  interesting to  see who in this league will take 19 points from them on this  form, the quality of rugby played was well above  the  league that both  sides find themselves in; it was a great spectacle of running rugby enjoyed by the  large gathered crowd.
Burnham 2s can take away some very  valuable lessons and  reflect on some really good  work, the contributions made  by all who represented the Club on the field was outstanding. A job well done.
Next game is away to Hornets on Sat 12 Oct; training is a must to iron out the niggles; attendance on Saturday; essential.