‘BURN GO DOWN AT HOME
Despite having significantly more of the play and chances, Bryansburn 1st XI stumbled to a 3-0 home defeat to visiting Bloomfield.
Wind, rain and mud were the order of the day and proved to be the deciding factors. Despite playing against the wind, Bryansburn made all the early running but found themselves a goal down five minutes into the match with Bloomfield’s first incursion into the Bryansburn half. A curling free kick thirty yards out on Bryansburn’s left was lofted into the danger area in the wind and found the big Centre-forward’s head. Bryansburn continued on the offensive but Culbert and Coard missed several gilt edged chances with wet and muddied boots and ball not helping to get in clean strikes. Midway through the half, both Bryansburn central defenders slipped in the mud and allowed a Bloomfield forward to lob over Steventon’s head. Bryansburn again continued their attack and more chances went a-begging and Coard hit the crossbar with a free kick but five minutes before the break another high ball was lofted into the goal mouth with wind assistance and it only took a touch to put Bloomfield 3-0 up.
Although ‘Burn harboured hopes of a comeback with wind advantage it was obvious that with the middle of the pitch turning into a quagmire any controlled football was impossible. Bryansburn showed little imagination upfront in breaking down a stubborn Bloomfield defence and although the Bloomfield ‘keeper was kept busy he was save and sound. Bryansburn got in enumerable shots but they were either too high or too wide and Malomo-Paris failed to connect with his head virtually on the goal line before a Culbert pile driver cannoned off the post.
Whilst the match should probably not have been played and it is easy to make excuses, Bryansburn missed too many clear-cut chances and gave away goals, which could have been better defended.
