United loose to leaders Burnham

Despite the score line against the free scoring league leaders Burnham, United produced one of their best performances of the season and could count themselves unlucky to be two goals behind at half time with both having an element of offside in them!

Both teams were positive in wanting to get the ball into their opponents half from the kick off with Adam Barnard seeing his goal bound shot blocked on the edge of the penalty area in the second minute and Leon Mannion failing to hit the target from close range after a good low pass from Pablo Fernandez from the left wing four minutes later to shortly afterwards to be followed by Fernandez shooting wide.

Tom Bryant, who enjoyed a good game, was forced into a corner from Dan Molloy’s shot in the tenth minute which from play saw Ollie Harris’ cross ago across the face of the United goal to safety.

Barnard had a long range shot comfortably gathered by Burnham keeper Sam Bunting who also comfortable caught Mannion’s header in the fourteenth minute from a corner while Jon Malone went narrowly wide form distance.

With Burnham dangerous on both flanks they got the breakthrough in the nineteenth minute when on a break Harris open the scoring.

Mannion saw Bunting parry for a corner while Bryant stopped shots from Malloy and Dean Allen twice.

Freddie Barrow shot wide while a good break by Ed Thomas and pass to Fernandez saw the visitors force another corner. But with a minute to half time Burnham again broke with pace and Allen doubled the lead.

The second half started as the first with United positive and enjoying possession in the hosts’ half but a cross saw Bryant do well to parry Aiden Higgs’ header and Higgs react quickest to prod the ball into the net eight minutes after the restart.

United changed there formation by introducing Max Laschok but went further behind in the fifty eight minute when Bryant pushed Higgs for a corner and from the resultant kick Burnham won a penalty that Allen converted.

Woodley continued to be positive with Laschok dangerous but saw Burnham complete their scoring in the sixty fourth minute when Harris’s shot took a wicked deflection to go past a stranded Bryant.

Fernandez put a free kick wide in the sixty ninth minute and shortly afterwards Bunting saved well from Laschok and Fernandez before Edwards got a goal Woodley deserved in the eighty sixth minute while Toby Briggs was denied with a block in the goal area late into stoppage time.

Bryant, Malone (Sissons), Hagger, Bowler, Axton-Small, Barnard, Barron (Laschok), Fernandez, Mannion (Briggs), Hawkins, Thomas Sub not used: Jewell