Southern League Division One South and West

Bridgwater Town 4 Burnham 1 

BRIDGWATER Town climbed out of the relegation zone with this convincing home win over Burnham at Fairfax Park on Saturday, writes Mark Hollidge. 

Town dominated from the outset and it was hardly surprising that they went ahead after eight minutes.

The influential Ollie Chamberlain dribbled to the right and released the ball to Jamie Adams.

His low, driven cross caused confusion in the Burnham ranks so that right back James Walters’ attempt to clear the ball cannoned off keeper Samuel Gray for an own goal.

Sam Towler had a long range shot held by Gray before Jake Viney was brought into the action by being required to field a smart volley by Callum Ferguson.

That was a rare incursion into attack by the visitors.

Town had a series of opportunities to double or even treble the score before half-time.

Shaun Anthony was growing into his unfamiliar role as target man and his whipped cross just eluded Josh Wadham.

Anthony then turned and looped a shot wide before his flick gave Chamberlain a glimpse of goal but his measured shot was comfortably saved by Gray.

Conor O’Sullivan made Gray work a bit harder when he changed the ball from right to left foot before aiming for the far post, but the keeper was equal to that one.

However, after all of this pressure, Burnham had two chances late in the half that could have changed the direction of the game.

Firstly, a free kick from Ferguson was well met by Hachim Benandini but he wastefully headed over.

Then Andrew Harewood burst through but toe ended his shot wide of the right post.

Town started the second half with some gusto with Chamberlain’s forceful 20 yarder only inches over the bar and fairly soon after that they doubled their lead.

Reeko Best beat Alex Dimitrejevic on the right and pulled the ball back to Chamberlain in a central position.

His shot was parried by Gray but Towler was nearby and he easily hooked the ball in for number two.

Burnham didn’t lie down and they began to cause a few more problems.

Substitute Nadir Shariff injected a bit of pace into a sluggish attack and he almost halved the deficit.

After a scramble he sent the ball goalwards, but Kye Thomas was there to clear the ball just before it crossed the line.

Soon after that Danny Pilcher did well to twist his body and send a well judged header towards the bottom right corner. Viney saved superbly.

The game was very open and increasingly entertaining.

The result was settled when a throw in along the left wing saw Anthony outstripping a defender and laying a great ball across the six yard box for Best, who had an easy task to ram the ball into the net.

Burnham pulled a goal back when all of the Town defenders missed a long ball and Shariff ran the loose ball over the goal line.

The three goal cushion was reinstated when Pilcher made an awful hash of a clearance and with Best lurking nearby, his pure strike from 20 yards was unstoppable.

Town: Viney, Adams, O’Sullivan, Mountford, O’Neill, Thomas, Wadham, Towler (Hopkins 63), Anthony (Fitzsimmons 76), Chamberlain, Best (White 86).