United defeated by league leaders

Woodley’s high tempo start against the league leaders was rewarded with Max Laschok opening the scoring in the sixth minute from close range following a good run and pass from his fellow forward Leon Mannion. Four minutes later Mannion put Pablo Fernandez in on goal but the midfielder’s shot went wide.

However, the good start was undone on in the thirteenth minute when Burnham’s Lucas Sinclair received the ball from a Burnham free kick just inside the Woodley half on the left wing and ran at goal and beating Tom Bryant at his right post to level the score.

Five minutes later Sinclair had a shot deflected for a corner which was a start of a fifteen minute spell of end to end football with both teams creating chances to take the lead.

Teddy Edwards saw a cross caught by Burnham keeper Dtumanis Gossenma, a Mannion free kick also went straight to the keeper while Fernandez was unable to get the ball from out of his feet following a good move involving Mannion and Laschok and Laschok saw Gossenma gather the ball at his feet.

The best of Burnham’s chances fell to Dan Molloy only to put over the United cross bar.

The second half got off to the worse possible start for Woodley, when the visitors broke on a counter attack two minutes after the restart and Sinclair scored from a tight angle.

United responded well with Gossenma saving from Chace Jewell and Harry Hawkins for two quick corner kicks. There was controversy in the fifty fifth minute when the hosts were awarded a penalty following challenge on Laschok only for the referee to overturn his decision following consultation with an assistant referee and restart the game with a drop ball.

Woodley also thought they should have had a second penalty when a Burnham defender appeared to use his arm to control the ball in the penalty area before clearing it.

Burnham scored the decisive next goal in the sixty forth minute when Dean Allen reacted first to Bryant’s save to steer the ball into the net. Four minutes later Mannion agonisingly saw his lob over the advancing Gossenma go wide before the scoring was completed in the seventy second minute when another Bryant save allowed sub Ollie Harris to score from an unmarked position.

Woodley continued to attack with the best chance falling to Toby Briggs, following a Fernandez pass, but the shot when across the face of the goal and was cleared.

In summary the difference between the two sides was one of taking chances which Burnham did to continue their push for the divisional title.

Bryant, Malone, Hagger, Hawkins, Axton-Small (Alexander), Barnard, E Thomas, Fernandez, Mannion (Swabey), Laschok (Briggs), Jewell Subs not used: Wilson, H Moore