Match Report Burnham Seconds 0 Ivel Barbarians 67
02 March 13
“Burnham’s bad day at the Office”
Burnham seconds travelled to Yeovil on Saturday on the first day of spring with a strong squad of mixed youth and seniority in the ranks.  Although the  pool of  players  were strong in numbers  there  were a number of  the  more  seasoned players AWOL for  various reasons.
A good pre game work out under Lee Berry; (our team Captain is  still walking wounded ) was most beneficial and brought the two divisions into a semblance  of  order having shaken of  the  long haul  to  the  home  side lair. At  the  last  meeting  of  the  teams  Burnham had claimed  the  scalp it was very  obvious  from the  start  that  Ivel  had  this  forefront in their  minds. The  home unit was  very  well  balanced  with strong mobile  forwards and alert  backs  who linked  very  well from the  base  of  the  set  piece all engineered  by numbers seven, eight ,nine and  ten. It was not  long before  they  made  their  presence  felt with  a number of well  drilled set  pieces moves that  had  Burnham defending in their  own  22. The Burnham pack was  holding very  well against a much  heavier  unit the  tackling being put in was prolific; in the  backs  Ben Gibb and  Mike  Nash were doing damage limitation almost  continuously; the   first  real threatening move came  from the  visitors  when  Ben  Gibb broke out supported by  Ben  Bowkett; oz Osbourne  and  Mike  Nash  behind  the  Ivel  back  line and  was  thwarted narrowly at  the  home  sides 22  by  being bundled in to touch. This  brought an intense  period of play in the home sides 22 area unfortunately  this  opportunity  went a begging by a mistake in  the  backs  resulting in a clearance  kick into  Burnham territory.
Ivel rallied after this  incursion by Burnham and  consolidated  their  efforts again by cohesive links  between the  two  divisions this onslaught was telling on the  visitors who  eventually buckled under pressure allowing the  home  side  to  score.
Burnham again rallied and penetrating runs from the  backs  engineered  by Ben  Gibb and  supported by the  forwards Phil Collings; Chris  Warner; Tom Stevens and  Lloyd  Stewart made  good headway  but  Ivel  were tight in defence . Meanwhile in  Burnham’s defence  Mike  Nash  was  doing  a  sterling  job in marshalling the  forwards  and  backs in defence but Burnham were drawn  on a number of  occasion by the  over lap enabling Ivel to  cross the  line time and  time again. This  was  very  frustrating to  the  Burnham side who  were certainly  giving as  good  as  was  being dished up and  producing a titan effort  to  get  there own  game  going.
As  the  first  half  drew to  a close Burnham again unleashed an onslaught deep  into  Ivel  defensive territory only to  be held up  in the  home  sides 22, this  was  the  tale  of  the  half as the  teams  changed  around.
Substitutions’ were made at  half  time to balance  out the casualties  the  full  back  Ryan Reynolds  had  retired with  a nose  job, Ben Bowket had  rattled  his  jaw; on came Dan Thorne and Jake Everett to  shore up  these  positions. A resolute team briefing had  taken place  and resolve to take the  game to  the  home  side was  firmly what  was  in  mind. From the  kick  off  Burnham unleashed  an assault into  Ivel  territory  led by Dan Thorne which  was  to  see  their  best spell  of  the  game being camped for a considerable length  of  time  on the  Home  sides  five  meter line, penetrating runs  by  Chris  Warner; Dan Thorne and  Lloyd Stewart  supported  by Oz was  producing results alas  the  home  side  held  on which  is  credit to  them as  they  were under  extreme pressure; this inability  to  get  the  Burnham score board  moving had a profound effect  as a score at  this point would  have  produced  the  lift  to fight on; as  it  was even  with  the  fresh legs  of Tom Wall; Jon Edwards; and  Gilly Hicks( well  he has legs!) did not create the impact to get  on the  score board.
It was  a bad  day at the  office  for  Burnham and  one  where the  effort  was truly  not  rewarded as it should  have  been. It was not a good game to blood some of our up coming players but the  benefit drawn was to  get a  reality  check as to  the  variations that  can be  encountered with  the  differences in sides within League 2. 
The travelling squad was Phil Collins; Ash Morris; Chris Warner; Ben Bowket; Mike Smith; Tom Stevens; Lloyd Stewart; Mike Nash; Ben Gibb; Lee Berry; Ginge Somerhay; Will Grant; Andy Pike; Ryan Reynolds; Jake Everett; Tom Wall; Gilly Hicks; Jon Edwards; Dan Thorne.
The 2s now have two weeks down time; Sat 09 Mar is  Sponsors day  and  old  Players Reunion it  is  expected  of  the  seconds to  support  and  entertain at  the  club on this  day; the next  game is  at  home to  Wyvern 23 Mar. A game not to be missed.