Damage in the Box!: BURNHAM (The Gore)

Holiday week for me this week, so a good opportunity to get in, what is for me, some very rare mid-week action. Proceedings began in Buckinghamshire in the village of Burnham, which is part of Slough, and the local teams Southern League Central home clash with Fleet Town.

Founded in 1878 (that must have been a good year for founding clubs) Burnham are the second oldest team in Bucks. The play at The Gore, which is on the fringes of the village, which is ground that doubles up as a conference centre and nursery. The seats of the main stand back onto the building and the only other cover in the ground is a small covered terrace on the other side of the pitch. A modern and functional ground.

Burnham are currently on a good run of form having lost just once in their last 10 games, including a 5-1 demolition of Leighton Town just 48 hours earlier. Fleet on the other hand were desperate for the points in their bid to beat the drop in their first season back in this league for 3 years, after being moved across from the Isthmian league last summer.

The first half was a complete non-event a both teams failed to find any rhythm. The homesters just about edged the possession but neither side threatened the goal. It was a game crying out for a goal and, finally, one arrived on 39 minutes when, out of nothing, Kieron Knight found space on the edge of the box to shoot home.

This served it purpose and it opened up the game in the second half. After a few early scares, Fleet took the game to Burnham and their wee striker Danilson Vicente was causing the home defence all sorts of problems. Vicente got his reward after 72 minutes when he turned the centre half to fire home.

The momentum was with Fleet but, proving the old adage of being vulnerable when you've just scored, they fell behind again just minutes later when Tom Willment headed home unchallenged from a free kick cross. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Fleet and their misery was completed in the 86th minute when Lee Togwell scored direct from a corner.

The result leaves Burnham ensconced in mid-table but Fleet anxiously in the drop zone.