Burnham-on-Sea 2nd 29 Chard 17

Chard Throw down the Gauntlet;
Burnham remain Resilient
 

Burnham Seconds were at home  to  Chard  at  the  weekend.

It was clear from the start of the game that the visitors had not come for an away day at the seaside. They started with  a very  hungry; direct;  approach  to  the game  it was  clear  that they  had  serious intentions  of beating  the current  league leaders in their  home  patch. The  visitors  had  fielded a very  well  balanced  side  with  some handy  looking individuals  in  key  positions it was  apparent  that  this was  going  to  be  a very  interesting encounter. In the  early  skirmishes it was apparent  that  Chard had a  game  plane  of  dominance  in the  loose  and  set  piece’s this  would  give  their  Scrum half / stand off / inside  centre  combination a chance to  exercise  options. In the  early  stages Burnham were given  a  taste  of  this  capability  by some  well-put  together moves  that  took  the  visitors  into  the  Burnham 22.

As  the  first  quarter  progressed the  Burnham pack  were beginning to  get their  act  together, it was  from a  turnover  ball that  Ryan Jones burst  out of  the  loose  and  drove  deep into  the  visitors  defence making some  twenty  meters. The  subsequent  pick  and  go  from George  Scott and  Tiny Reese enabled  the  ball  to  be  set  up in the  visitors  22, after a number  of  penetrating runs  by  Dan Berry  and  Ginge Somerhay it was  left  to  Rob Lewis  to  demonstrate  how  it  is  done  as  he  crossed  the  line. This  effort  went  unconverted. This  was  a crucial score  as  it fortified Burnham’s position which continued  in the  same  way  that  had  produced  the  first  score  the  effort  paid  of  when  from a turn over  in the  Visitors  22  Mike  Whitfield went  on a  solo run an crossed  the  line  under  the  posts. He quickly  converted  his  effort  and  was  to  tally up  two other  conversion and  a  penalty  for  his  afternoons  appearance.

Chard retaliated almost immediately when their  back  line  combined  eventually feeding the  winger  to  cross  the  line this  effort  was  converted.

 Just  on half time as  Burnham was putting together an attacking platform the  ball was kicked  passed from Whitfield to  the  right  corner which  saw  Ginge  Somerhay pounce  on it  after a 20m sprint  to  collect  and put  down under  the  uprights, this  try  and  conversation on half  time  was  a crucial  blow  to  the  visitors.
The second half got under way with immediate retaliation from Chard who moved the ball  extremely well  to  feed  their  centre  and  wing  who crossed  the  line  under  the  uprights, they  were  back  into  the  game.
This score stimulated Burnham who  immediately picked  up  the  pace. Penetrating runs  into  the  visitors defence  from Dan Berry,  Rob Lewis, Ginge, Phil Collings  and  George  Wilcox were telling as  was  the  pressure laid  onto  the visiting forwards; the  home  side  were  punishing the  visitors  in the  pack the  front row  of  Glenn Cutter Ash Morris  and  Phil Collings  were dominant; in the  Line Tom and  Tiny were not  missing  much. This  rate  of  attrition was  telling; the  visitor’s  focus on discipline was  waning slightly which  was telling in there  playing capability. Burnham’s  skipper Matt Slater reduced  to  walking Wounded due  to  a viruliferous attack during the  week sent  on the  substitutions at  this  stage, Mike  Smith, Podge  Barrington Gilly Hicks  Paul, and Dave  Harris were submitted  to the conflict to  up  the  tempo, It was  from this introduction of  reinforcements that from a  successful series  of  pick  and  go in the  forwards orchestrated  by  the  Captain of  the  day  Lee  Berry that  Glen Cutter broke  out  and  despite holding off  two  of  the  opposition crossed  the  line  for  a  fine  try.

Burnham were  determined to  have  the  last  say  in the  game  and  were  positioned in an almost  identical position of  the  previous  try  when a loose  pass was  picked up  by  Chard  who  ran almost  the  length  of  the  field try;  although the  pass  that  had  produced  it  was controversial.
Final Score Burnham 29 Chard 17.

This game  presented a fine  challenge  to  Burnham who rose  to  the  occasion very  well  indeed. There  were some individuals  missing for  this  game  which  proves  that  the  second team pool is  well capable of  rising to  these  challenges. A second  team training session is  scheduled  for  Thursday to  those  available with a  view  to  rehearse  for  Saturdays  league  at  Minehead

Tags: