My latest game took me to Leslie Field, home of Burnham Ramblers as they hosted LondonBari in a Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy First Round tie.
Ramblers are trying to rebuild after their relegation from the Ryman League last season and have had an indifferent start to the season so far although did win 4-1 last time out at Waltham Forest. For Bari it’s been a tough start with three losses out of four and no goals to show for it, although they were against decent sides so could be too early to read into that.
Anyway the game started in a frenetic manor and on ten minutes the first real chance, which fell to the hosts, resulted in them taking the lead. The visitors keeper produced a woeful goal kick which found the opposition and the ball was slid through to Ashley Hawkins who duly slotted past the keeper and gave the hosts the lead. Burnham 1 Bari 0.
Just past the quarter hour mark the visitors almost responded when they had a good sight of goal from a few yards out but the toe poke at goal was brilliantly saved by Lewis Godwin Green to keep the hosts in front. The game continued at a lively frenetic manor although chances were at a premium for the next fifteen minutes or so.
On 33 minutes came a scary moment for the visiting keeper as he thwarted a Ramblers attack by sliding out of his area and handling the ball in the process although it was hardly a goalscoring opportunity as it was well away from goal hence the referee produced just a yellow card and not a red. It did however give Ramblers a decent free kick opportunity but after the ball was crossed into box and half cleared it found Ashley Hawkins who could only hit his effort well wide.
Ramblers went very close to doubling their lead eight minutes before the break when a cracking effort from distance flicked off the bar and over with the keeper totally beaten. They went close again soon after when a great ball released Dan Williams down the right and his ball inside was just about cleared but a minute later and five minutes before the break it was two for the hosts when a cross from right back Jason Ring was swung into the area and went straight in past an unsighted keeper who was having a shaky game to say the least. Burnham 2 Bari 0.
This was highlighted even more three minutes before the break when Burnham nearly scored again as Bari’s keeper totally misjudged a free kick into the box and saw it smack off the bar before Bari broke up the other end and were thwarted by some good defending before moments later the hosts struck the outside of the post, the third time they had hit the woodwork in eight minutes, as the hosts finished the half strongly and looked good for their two goal lead.
Half Time Burnham Ramblers 2 London Bari 0
The half started as the first one did, in frenetic fashion as both teams created chances at the start of the half and on 49 minutes more bad defending almost saw Ashley Hawkins chip the keeper but then moments later Dan Williams put in a lovely pin point cross for Ashley Hawkins to power home a header and give Ramblers breathing space and a three goal lead. Burnham 3 Bari 0.
You felt Ramblers could have gone on and scored a few more and show no mercy to Bari, who had been woeful at the back it has to be said. Instead though Ramblers seemed to think the job was done and switched off allowing the visitors to have more possession and attack more regularly. Seven minutes into the half Bari charged down the left and only brave keeping from Lewis Godwin Green saw the visitors thwarted although the keeper needed treatment after getting a wack on the head.
The almost inevitable happened on 57 minutes when after a good spell from the visitors they got a goal back as there number ten cut inside and unleashed a bullet of a strike past Lewis Godwin Green into the top corner for a superb goal, which was Bari’s first competitive one of the season too, to reduce the arrears and give them hope. Burnham 3 Bari 1.
The hosts were struggling to contain their opponents by now and on 65 minutes Bari threatened again as you felt this tie most certainly wasn’t over and six minutes later Bari attacked again down the right and the resulting cross saw a downward header straight at the grateful Lewis Godwin Green. With fifteen minutes left another Bari ball into the box saw another header wide and you felt it was only a matter of time until the visitors would score again and sure enough with ten minutes left and ball into the area from the left saw them tap home from close range and it was most certainly game on now. Burnham 3 Bari 2.
The hosts really had to dig deep in the final few minutes as Bari threw everything at the them but fair play to Burnham they managed to dig in and hold onto the lead and win the game. Their prize is ahome tie with Hullbridge Sports in Round Two.
Full Time Burnham Ramblers 3 London Bari 2
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