A team consisting of a fine blend of youth and experience set out to balance the score sheet following a drumming from a high flying Winscombe when they met at home prior to a Christmas.
Burnham gained the upper hand early on with some strong running to break the gain line. Nick Mcken led the charge from the forwards deep into the Winscombe half. An infringement at the breakdown allowed Burnham to take an early penalty lead from the boot of Alex Watkins. Burnham did not let Winscombe off the hook and continued to break the gain line with strong runs by Tom Wall and John Cornish. Once again Alex Watkins punished Winscombe with the boot. 6 points to 0. This was a dream start. However Burnham were not going to have it all their own way.
Winscombe got their offloading game going and started to make some yards. But when possession returned Alex Watkins pumped the ball deep into the half finding touch. From the subsequent line out. The ball found Scott Havercroft who put a clever cross field kick in. This was gathered by Felix Grandfield who stepped his winger to touch down. Alex Watkins added the conversion from a long way out.
Burnham continued to turn the screw and no 8 George Pruett made a couple of searing brakes. This resulting infringement allowed fly half Alex Watkins to finish out the half with another penalty. 16 points to 0.
On the turn round Burham knew Winscombe were not going to lie down. They were not wrong. A couple of prop changes by Winscombe resulted in the Burnham scrum going back at a rate of knots. No matter what Burnham tried to do to shore up the Scrum they could not. However no. 8 George Pruett time and time again dug out the ball and went forward. Burnham soaked up the pressure and some great tackling typified by the chop tackle made by full back Tim James on a giant prop kept the sheet clean.
In the midst of Winscombe forwards coming round the corner one after another, it was the the winger that managed to pick his way through to score a converted try. Burnham eventually stopped the Scrum going backwards with captain Ed Lewis calling for more and leading the way at tight head prop. This allowed Burnham to get some go forward. A couple of penalties resulted in three more points and then a line out to Burnham. The first drive resulted in Nik mcken being held up. The Scrum went well but the forwards suffered from white line fever and they got held up. The next penalty allowed a well worked line out move to be executed and Nik mcken drive over to score a try.
This was not converted. Burnham closed out the game on top in every area of the game. A tough call from a great team performance but man of the match goes to George Pruett.
Home next week to league leaders Morganians.