After a week of heavy rain barton hill turned up to find burnhams first team pitch in excellent condition and with the sun shining a great game of rugby was to be expected.

In front of what had to be burnhams largest crowd this season burnham were up against a side that lay second in the table and brought a wealth of experience at playing in this league and it showed specially in the first 20 minutes.
Barton started the stronger with their forwards playing as a well organised well drilled unit and gave the young burnham pack their toughest test up front this season it was with this pressure that barton scored their first try in the corner through a lineout then a rolling maul with their second row touching down try was unconverted.
With 20 mins gone barton added their second try with poor tackling along the line their full back burst through to draw the full back and pass to the winger who raced in under the posts. try converted.
As with every game this season burnham had finally woken up after 20 mins and pulled themselves together to get back into the game, through some good phases with webb gowan and blake at the forefront of it all they got into bartons 22 where they forced a scrum and with some good handling through hayden and elisi with the latter dummying and shimmying his way over. try unconverted.

Even though burnham had forced their way back into the game there was still some of the same old mistakes being made penalties at breakdowns, soft tackling and poor decision making but with barton unable to capatalise on these mistakes burnham got into the game from a set piece move and good handling through the backs especially captain russ pike who managed to break through the defensive line and with 2 defenders on him he managed to pass off his left hand (which is about as rare as rocking horse muck) to tim piper who shurgged off the wingers tackle to race in from 25metres and score in the corner . try again unconverted.

half time score 10-12

With the start of the second half much like the first burnham with stood immense pressure from barton hills forwards on their line when their centre smashed his way through to score by the posts and take the score to 10-19.
With such a constant threat of attack from barton hill the bodies were taking a battering and were forced into making changes with elisi, webb and streeter coming off burnham reshuffled the side with collings replacing streeter up front and with love coming on for webb and salway coming on for elisi they had to reorganise their pack with piper going into back row.
With all the changes made it didnt seem to disrupt burnhams play much and they managed to force their way down into bartons 22 and gain a penalty in front of the posts which piper kicked over (because no one wanted to kick excpet tubbs and piper) the score now 13-19.

With burnham needing just a converted try to gain the lead they through everything at barton with a try scoring opportunity created matt love was away only to be called back for an alleged forward pass.
With the remaining minutes burnham couldnt force their way down the other end with barton controlling the game and finally kicking the ball out to end a strong and physical game.

Again burnham played some great attacking and flowing rugby and followed it up with great close line defence but lessons must be learnt and quickly if burnham are to fulfil their promise with too many missed tackles in open play, wrong decision making and points to be taken when on offer the ones that need to learnt first. All things that can be sorted if the hardwork and attitude steps up in training then the rewards will come.
Special mention to luke gowan who played his last home game for the club before he departs on his quest to become a tibetan monk.
Man of the match was bryan webb.
Next saturday burnham travel to berry hill