Somerset County Division 1W
Burnham United 3, Highbridge Town 1

AFTER their entertaining 2-2 draw earlier in the Somerset County Division 1W season, this eagerly anticipated return fixture between Burnham United and Highbridge Town did not disappoint, writes Ollie Taylor.

With a decent crowd attending this local derby, the scene was set for both teams – close in proximity and separated by only two points in the league table, with Highbridge eighth and Burnham ninth.

Visitors Highbridge started the game brightly and were rewarded with an early goal, as Adam Lock scored with his head following a corner from the right in the sixth minute.

Burnham upped their game and took control from this point, creating chances throughout the half.

Highlights included Mike Stevens running onto a Charlie Harding through ball but shooting just over, and Ben Cherry’s a 25-yard strike which had the Highbridge keeper Steve Bailey scrambling, but he saved well, and the away side remained ahead at half time.

The home team came out with greater determination following the interval, with Stevens and Finley Wilkinson giving Highbridge constant problems down both flanks.

It was a ball in from the right that gave Burnham their equaliser in the 50th minute, Harding grabbing the crucial goal as he poked into the net from close range.

Just nine minutes later Burnham took the lead from a Elliot Lamb free-kick which was powerfully headed in by captain Russell Holley.

A couple of fine saves from Burnham keeper Will Lamb deflated the visitors further, and Highbridge’s Jack Hirons then saw red for a two-footed lunge.

Burnham finished the game off with an injury-time Ryan Jeffries goal.

With keeper Bailey upfield, having gone forward to try and rescue a point from a late Highbridge free-kick, Jeffries ran with the ball from his own half and scored from 35 yards.

Man of the Match sponsored by Fusion Leisure: Russell Holley.

The win sees Burnham leapfrog Highbridge into eighth spot in the league standings, and both return to action this Saturday.

Somerset County 2W
Winscombe Reserves 2, Burnham United Reserves 1

BURNHAM United Reserves lost out in a fiercely competitive match at Winscombe.

In an open first half, the hosts looked very dangerous from set-pieces and Burnham sought to free their wide players.

Burnham thought they had made the breakthrough five minutes before half time when Fred Berry slipped a perfectly weighted pass into Dibble, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner, only for it to judged offside.

The visitors came out second half with renewed confidence and, when Green was fouled 25 yards out Harry Wedgewood stepped up and put the ball out of the reach of the Winscombe goalkeeper's top left hand corner making the scoreline 1-0.

But a Winscombe set-piece finally made its mark soon after, a goalmouth scramble leading to the equaliser.

Burnham saw another goal disallowed in controversial circumstances, Nathan Giblett's deflected shot ruled out after Winscombe complaints, before Giblett received his second yellow card for a late tackle.

Winscombe then snatched the game and the three points with a well-worked counter attack.

Weston & District Division 4
Burnham United A 4, AFC Nailsea Reserves 2

Burnham started well and scored early on, when Chris Jays scored his first Burnham goal, with a strike from just inside the box.

Burnham were in complete control, but conceded a goal out of nothing.

Just before half time, Burnham extended their lead from an Ashley Lockyer penalty, following a hand ball.

In the second half Jays scored again, before Matt Young scored his first senior goal.

Burnham should have scored more, but conceded again near the end.