Burnham Ramblers 2 White Ensign 2

Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior League South, Tuesday 26th February 2019

Nathan Dewberry came off the bench to net a stoppage time leveller as White Ensign snatched a draw against Burnham Ramblers at Leslie Field in a Thurlow Nunn Eastern Senior South Essex Derby.

The visitors came into this one knowing a win would take them just four points behind leaders Hashtag United with a game in hand still, whilst the hosts were looking to try and break into the top ten before the season was out, so three points here could have certainly helped that cause.

Pride was also at steak too with this being a derby game, and the hosts had the first effort but saw this deflected wide for a corner, and from that set-play they almost led but saw their headed effort cleared off the line.

The visitors then went up the other end and saw an effort loop up off the shoulder of an attacking player before looping into the keeper’s hands, before Ramblers got in down the left-hand side but could only drag their effort wide of the far post.

It had been a good start from the hosts though and they saw another attempt on goal, a volley from long range, go over the Ensign bar, whilst down the other end the visitors saw a defensive close-range header almost end up in the net.

The hosts then attacked at pace down the right and almost found themselves in again, but good defending saw the ball overrun into the keeper’s hands, before Ensign turned and fired just wide down the other end, and the game remained goalless as the half entered its final stage.

A visitors long-throw then took a big bounce before a close-range header was straight at the keeper, and then soon after the whistle went for half-time, and I felt that the hosts would have been the happier of the two sides going into the changing room.

Half Time Burnham Ramblers 0 White Ensign 0

It was the visitors who drew first blood though in this one as four minutes after the restart they grabbed the lead as when after a ball was struck towards goal, player-manager Brett Munyard helped it on its way into the corner of the net, and Ensign had broken through.

But ten minutes later the hosts responded in kind, finding a leveller and a goal of their own, as after a brilliant pass from Brad Morgan had released Joe Howard down the right, he drilled a brilliant effort into the far corner and we were back level again.

The visitors then saw a free-kick go straight at the keeper but in the 63^rd minute Ramblers went in front when Ollie Miller’s ball to the far side of the box found Morgan unmarked, and he fired home and the hosts had turned this one around in the space of four minutes.

Ensign tried to respond and saw a long-throw headed way up in the air before coming down and hitting the bar before going over, and then they saw a free-kick into the hosts box glanced on but straight into the keeper’s grateful arms.

The visitors then sent a great long-range effort at Ramblers goal which was well tipped over the bar, before the resultant corner was headed well well wide, whilst down the other end Ramblers got down the left but sent a shot straight at the keeper.

With two minutes left Ensign saw a long-range effort deflected on route to goal, but the keeper managed to scramble to his left to palm away the effort, and it looked like the hosts would hold on for a much deserved and morale boosting win against their promotion chasing local rivals.

But in the first minute of stoppage time substitute Dewberry received the ball inside the area and he turned and fired in off the post to bring the visitors level once again.  It was tough on the hosts who so nearly held out.

Ensign though wanted all three points and pushed for a winner but saw their last chance deflect over for a corner, but that came to nothing and soon after the whistle went for the end of the contest, meaning both sides ended up with a point.  The hosts felt they should have won it but will take a lot of positives from this one, whilst Ensign would be disappointed with this performance and were probably lucky to grab a point in the end.

It all means Ramblers are eight points off the top ten with seven games left in 13^th, whilst Ensign remain second but are now six behind leaders Hashtag United with just the one game in hand now.

Full Time Burnham Ramblers 2 White Ensign 2