Burnham-on-Sea 2nd 50 Wells 8
“Burnham’s 8 try Bust” Quells Well’s

Burnham Seconds travelled to Wells to meet fourth placed Wells in a league fixture on Saturday 24 Mar. on a day the was akin to a  Mid summers afternoon; the stage was set for some running Rugby.
Wells have had some impressive runs of play and have claimed a few scalps within the league this season. They are a team that favours the traditional pack domination ethos; with backs that can exploit from that platform.
As the  game  got  under  way it  was  clear that  their  tactics had  not  changed they  certainly wanted  Burnham to  de-accelerated to  their level of  play.

Captain Matt Slater had  experienced  an uncomfortable  night  on  Friday as many of  his prolific big guns were unavailable for  this  match; he  was  left  with  a  number  of “ rookies” in the  form  of  upcoming colts  to  fill  the  big  boots  of  the  absent regular players. Although lacking in senior experience they  were certainly not  lacking  in enthusiasm as  Burnham lined  up  for  the  pre  match  work out  orchestrated by  Mark  Watkins. The final  briefing done  fast  rugby with lots  of  positive  off  loads into  safe  hands only; with  maximised leg  work, was  called  for. Burnham opted  to  play into  the  incline and  the  game  got  under  way.
In the initial stages, the play took of  on the  expected  course with  forwards marauding like gladiators seeking dominance; playing against  the incline, Burnham was  penalised early  in a  scrum infringement, giving Wells a kick  at  Goal resulting in Burnham trailing by three  Points.

This  early  exchange focused  Burnham who sprang into  action from the  kick off, Tom Hocking got in amongst  the opposition ball  takers  disrupting Wells which  enabled  Ryan Jones  to  take  of at pace resulting in a  foiled  off  load  which  was  cleaned  up  by  Chris  Jones  who  recycled  the  ball expertly into  the  hands  of Alex. Who crossed the line to  the  left  of  the  posts. Unfortunately  this  effort  was unconverted.

This provided the  lift  that  was required and  it  was  apparent  that Wells  had  certain cohesion issues in their  defensive set  concerning the  Full  back  and wingers. It was  from a very  fast  follow up from a  deep  kick  by full back  Watkins that  James  the  winger got  in  between the  full  back  and  the  winger  stole  the ball and  finished  the  job  adjacent  to  the  uprights. Converted  buy  Alex Watkins. Burnham was  on fire!!
This form was  maintained  the  forwards  by this  stage were dominating in most  pack  areas  and  it  was  from a turn over ball out  side  Wells  22 that Tom Stevens collected  and raced  across  the  line   to  finish a fine  phase  of well worked  Burnham pack  and  back work. Converted  by Alex  Watkins.
Burnham was now  hunting for  the  bonus  point  is  was no  longer a   case  of  if; more  of  when;  was the  fourth  try  to  be  scored.  Alas it  was  not  be  heralded  in the  first  half as  the  official called  time after  40  minutes.

With the  half time review over, Replacements  were brought on in the  form  of  Podge for  Ed Lewis, Dave  Harris, Sam Ford, with  these  established the  second  half  got  under way. The  difference  in this  half  was  that  Burnham were now  playing down  the  incline, the  tactic  was  for  long penetrating kicks  into  the  oppositions  22  to set  up attacking moves  from this  platform. The  forwards  by this  stage  had  demonstrated  that  they  were out pacing the  heavier  slower  moving Wells  pack  in all areas. It was from an adopted move of  this  kind that  Burnham found  themselves  in Wells  22 when Alex  Bowkett  who  had  run the  backs  in an  exemplanary  manner  the  entire  game,  dummied  inside  and  crossed  the  line  for a  fine  try sadly the  conversation  was  not  taken. That sealed the  bonus point.

Further changes  were made Mike Smith  for Ryan Jones, Ash Morris came  on as  hooker allowing Tom Hocking who  had put in a  sterling performance  as  hooker moved  to  the  back  row, Paul Landolfi can came  on as  tight  head  replacing Glen Cutter. The  pack  had  played the  opposition pack  to  a  standstill  it  was  of  great  credit  to  the  replacements  that they  continued in the  same  mould. Ash  Morris demonstrated  his  prowess  as  a hooker  taking every  ball  that  was  placed  in the  tunnel.

The  game continued with  Burnham very  much in control Podge  Barrington was  instrumental for  setting up a fine  platform from a pick  and  drive enabling Nash the  scrum half  who  was  playing as if his  very  life  depended upon it,  delivered the  ball out  to backs which saw  Alex  Bowkett feed Ford the  winger who  had  incredible  sense  of  space; and  pace; ending  up  behind  the  posts, Try;  converted  by  Alex  Watkins.
What was  apparent was that  Wells  could  not  control this  fast moving Burnham side  who  were connecting forwards  and backs  in every  move  they attempted. Burnham were impressive  in setting out moves  that was  using all players impressively;  much supporting play was  being carried  out  and  it  was  from one  such  move  that  found  Ben Bowkett on the  wing at  the  end  of  a backs  move  giving him space  to  cross the  line a well  deserved  try  for an afternoons  work load  that  had  been  enormous. Unfortunately  this went  unconverted.

Wells  must  have   thought that that  whole   world was coming in on top of  them but to  give   them  credit  they  continued  to  work  out  trying to  make  headway into  what  must  have  seemed  like  an  abyss. Again Burnham launched  another  running offensive from their own half in this  instance  it saw  almost  all the  backs touch  the  ball including the  two wingers Mark O’Reagan and  James which culminated in Alex  Watkins  finishing  of  a  fine  afternoons work  with  a   try under  the  uprights converted by Alex  Bowkett.
Wells were stung into  action and retaliated driving Burnham deep  into  their  own  half , once  the  pack organised  themselves it halted  this penetrating move . Unfortunately a  clearing kick  was  charged down enabling Wells  to  recycle  the  ball through the  hands  of  their  back  row to  the  standoff  to  score, sadly this   fine  effort  went  unconverted.

That should  have  been  enough but it wasn’t. From the  kick  off  Burnham exploited  yet  again the strategy of  the  game by chasing deep  and  fast  into  the  opposition and  again this paid  of  when the  ball found its  way  into  the  hands  of  the  winger  Ford who demonstrated that  he  had not  forgot  the  way to  try  line. Nash who effectively made the last statement of the game converted this try.
Final Score Burnham 50 Wells 8

This  was  a  fine  performance by all who  participated. I don’t think so much  rugby has  been  played in any one  game this  season. All players handled  the  ball, were instrumental in the  score  line, and contributed  an enormous amount of  effort  to  obtain the  score. Wells  were no push over  side. To  the  young blades who  bled  themselves on Saturday you acquitted  yourselves admirably. “The  Day Belongs  To  You” Well Done.

Our  main rivals for  the  domination of  our  league play Petherton on Sat. This  may well  be  a  game  worth  spectating.