Tuesday night saw me over at Leslie Field for the first time this season to see a local derbybetween Burnham Ramblers and Basildon United in the Essex Senior League.
The hosts start to the season has been well documented after nine straight defeats but two wins from their last three outings suggests an improvement. Basildon themselves have had a decent start which has seen themselves into the top six and they started this one favourites among many.
And it was the Bees Jason Brown who had the games first effort at goal after five minutes but he could only drag his long range effort wide of the hosts goal. Ramblers responded with a chance of their own two minutes later when Charlie Hughes broke down the right and squared for Grant Webb but he could only lift his effort well over.
Two more minutes elapsed before Hughes struck a loose ball straight at Liam Pitts in the visitors goal whilst on 17 minutes Nathan Dewberry flicked a header at the hosts goal but Chris Leonard was right behind it to make the save.
It had been a frenetic opening to the game and it didn’t look like letting up as on 20 minutes the hosts gave the ball away in the dangerzone and Brown managed to get clear of the defence but as he tried to round keeper Leonard the stopper saved then down the other end Webb forced Pitts into a very smart save to keep the scoreline goal less.
Midway through the half Dewberry forced a comfortable save from Ramblers keeper Leonard, trying to curl one with the outside of his boot, whilst just past the half hour mark a Bees corner found Taylor Sinfield but his header was way over the bar.
The Bees were starting to have a bit more possession and Dewberry sent a near post header just wide before Dewberry again got in but saw his effort on the stretch saved by Leonard.
However with seven minutes of the half remaining the hosts broke the deadlock when skipperReggie Disley climbed to head home a corner and send the hosts into the lead, a lead that was almost doubled four minutes later when a great effort from Bradley Morgan saw Pitts tip over the visitors goal brilliantly.
A minute later though the visitors almost capitalised on a mistake as the bounce of the ball deceived the hosts defence and allowed Brown in behind but his cross struck a defender and was cleared and then in first half stoppage time a Dewberry free kick forced a save from keeper Leonard before the loose ball was almost turned in by a hosts defender. However it was the home side who ended this frantic half in front.
Half Time Burnham Ramblers 1 Basildon United 0
The second period began with the hosts getting in behind immediately through Morgan but his ball across the box found no one in a blue shirt and then four minutes into the half the visitors went close as a one two on the edge of the box between Alf Lindfield and Brown saw the former get in but see his effort saved by Leonard.
A couple of minutes later the hosts went close as Hughes fired an effort across goal and just wide of the far post as they looked to put daylight between themselves and the Bees.
As the game went past the hour mark their were some meaty challenges going in, which is what you would expect from such a derby, no quarter given from two committed sides. The Bees saw another chance slip by when substitute Daryl Cooper was slipped in behind but he dragged his effort well wide before moments later the Bees were screaming for a penalty as they felt the hosts had blocked an effort with a hand. The next attack saw Dewberry somehow hit over as the hosts were clinging on to their lead.
However Burnham were fully committed to the cause and on 66 minutes saw full back Savino Livornese drive forward into the box, only to end up overrunning the ball and fouling keeper Pitts. Soon after the Bees went close again as Dewberry fired across goal but saw the ball deflect just beyond Lindfield at the far post.
It was then Ramblers turn to go close on a couple of occasions as this derby continued at a frantic pace and saw Hughes break free of the Bees defence before he stung the palms of Pitts and then moments after Hughes again went close as his header from a corner was cleared from in front of goal.
On 77 minutes Hughes was presented with the ball by the visitors in the dangerzone and with keeper Pitts out of goal the striker tried his luck but dragged wide before play switched to the other end and saw Hamid Zamani’s effort deflect just wide although the referee gave a goal kick, adding to the visitors frustration.
And on 83 minutes the Bees came as close to an equaliser as they had come all game when a Dewberry strike hit the inside of the post and was eventually cleared and you sort of felt it just wasn’t going to be his or Basildon’s day after that.
Zamani put in a great cross late on but the hosts were holding on as the game entered stoppage time and after several nervy moments for the home side the referee blew his whistle and Burnham Ramblers could celebrate back to back league wins after a hard earned battling victory against the Bees.
It wasn’t the visitors evening but they more than played their part in a enthralling derby match which was a very enjoyable watch indeed.
Full Time Burnham Ramblers 1 Basildon United 0
No comments:
Post a Comment