Western Counties North

Burnham 50 Cheltenham 14

BURNHAM produced a confident performance, full of determination, vitality and skill to thrash Cheltenham 50-14 on Saturday.

In doing so, Burnham took the opportunity to blood two more development squad players, with Ryan Beard playing from the start.

From the kick off Burnham pressed their opponents to the extent of forcing a hurried clearing kick, leading to Russell Pike scoring out wide.

A few minutes later, Burnham won good lineout ball in their own 22 and drove on, enabling Wikitera to burst up the pitch. Two phases later, the ball was whipped out to the backs for Holder to set up Jordan Paul to cross the line.

Burnham again piled on the pressure through speed of thought and body, creating a flowing movement between backs and forwards for Josh Holder to score in the corner.

On the stroke of half-time, Cheltenham closed the gap with a converted try.

Burnham brushed this slight setback aside and almost immediately from the start of the second half stole the ball from a maul.

Spelman broke out and with 50 metres to go he found a willing Matt Love on his outside to race in under the posts. Holder converted for a 22-7 lead.

Relentless pressure from Burnham gave Ryan Beard the chance to gather from the base of a ruck and neatly step through three tackles and nonchalantly cross the line, followed by Scott Havercroft adding the conversion.

Ten minutes later Burnham, Jordyn Wikitera picked up and crashed through a demoralised Cheltenham to score.

Havercroft converted and repeated the feat minutes later when Wikitera charged in from 50 metres out for his second.

Not to be outdone, Paul intercepted a pass deep in Burnham's 22 and raced 90 metres to score under the posts to bring up Burnham's half century. Cheltenham, to be fair, kept going and were rewarded with a last minute try for a final score of 50-14.

Burnham are away to Keynsham next week.