After last weeks dominant performance burnham were looking to gain momentum against a side that finished last season as champions of the gloucester premier league and had already started life well in western counties north with 2 wins from 2.

burnham were forced into a couple of changes in the backs with player coach elisi sidelined through a back injury along with kiwi who was still coming to terms with his ballet threatening injury last week so in came rio (oompah loompah) cooper and josh holder who was fresh back from his arts and craft weekend.
The game started well for burnham with the forwards again showing their dominance up front with the first scrum of the game to which they won against the head and through the resulting phases gained a penalty in front of the post which cooper converted 0-3.

Burnham again were playing against a side whos forwards were at least a stone a man heavier (except for streeter) but again were still able to turn that around against the opposition and cause utter disruption in their set piece with sam coles mike hocking and ollie streeter at the forefront of this domination it forced two of their front row to retire injured in the first half.

OB’S only threat of scoring came from there very skillfull left winger who had his sides best first half opportunity when he intercepted a pass from josh holder to race through to burnhams line only to be stopped 5 meters short by matt love who chased him down even though he had a 10 metre head start. quite simply an outstanding try saving tackle.

But with all the territory and posession burnham could only conjure up one try which started from a well worked lineout move in OB’S 22 the ramapaging ollie streeter smashing through the defence only to be held up short of the line (because he doesnt know how to dive) and from the resulting scrum the inevitable happened a penalty try.

Half time score 0-10.

In the 2nd half OB’S showed why they were up the top of the league and unbeaten through well drilled phases and some astute kicking they started to force their way into the game with a couple of penalties through burnhams poor discipline and made the score line 6-10, again through some good phase work they got into burnhams 22 and were awarded another penalty only to take the strange decision to cross field kick to their winger instead of going for an easy 3 points. With matt love using his old nba basketball skills rose to intercept on his own try line with jordan paul picking up the loose ball to race in from 95 meters untouched in the corner and with fake tan cooper adding the tough touchline conversion the score went from being a possible 9-10 to 6-17.

But still OB’S wouldn’t lie down and managed to score a try through their left winger to take the scoreline to 13-17.

With the away support showing their vocal attributes with a rendition of many songs (although gilly didnt know any of the words) you would think that burnham were playing at home with such encouragement burnham were spurred on and produced their finest passage of play so far this season with backs and forwards linking well from a maul halfway up the pitch a clean break from luke gowan (sporting a ridiculous hairstyle) into the oppositions 22 and from the ruck a quick pass from hayden (who had a fine game) to rio cooper who threw a miss pass to piper who burst through the line to stroll under the posts to take to the final score to 13-24.
A much better all round performance from burnham with backs and forwards linking well together and along with the blend of youth and experince throughout the side burnham can use this performance to push on to saturdays game against another set of champions in Avon who last season won somerset premier this will again prove to be a strong test for burnham.

Man of the match was bryan webb

TEAM: PAUL, LOVE, PIPER HOLDER, PIKE(C), COOPER, TUTTIET, COLES, HOCKING, STREETER, KEKKERS, HOUSE, WEBB, GOWAN, BLAKE.
SUBS: MCKEN, BERRY, BONELL.

If anybody is willing to sponsor a player or the club then there are certain packages available throughout the club please contact our chairman caine harding through the clubs website.