Burnham
1
Driver (31)
Slough Town
1
Burnell (48)
League
Attendance: 414
Adam Martin
Dan Burnell's 18th goal of the season rescued a point for top-of-the-table Slough Town at local rivals Burnham, after a poor first half which saw the Rebels fall behind to Lewis Driver’s goal.
Slough recorded a comfortable win at the Gore last season, but despite this, the Rebels have suffered a fairly indifferent record against their near neighbours in recent years.
Early on, it was apparent that Burnham would be no pushovers, the Blues coming into game after some decent results in recent months which have moved them away from the danger zone, but on the back of a disappointing defeat against Chalfont St Peter.
But in the first half, Slough, seven points clear at the top of the league, had no answer to Burnham's direct style of football and pressure, and the Blues dominated.
The first chance for the hosts came with just six minutes played, Lee Togwell volleying over from a good position after a cushioned header down from Keiron Knight.
Alex Brown then produced a brilliant tackle to deny former Holyport forward Lewis Driver an almost certain goal, before dangerous left midfielder Harry Pritchard slammed a shot across goal and wide of the far post after being picked out by a fine pass from the right.
Slough had not yet registered an attack of note, and Burnham went closer still when former Slough target Will Hendry, on loan from Hayes & Yeading, curled an effort just over the angle of post and bar from the edge of the box.
Six minutes later, Burnham did opening the scoring, a deserved lead which came in fine style. Burnham worked the ball over to Pritchard on the left, and his superb first-time cross found Driver in the middle, who steered a volley past Warrington.
Slough were lucky to go into the break a single goal behind, but only after Knight had fired another effort over from 25 yards. For the Rebels, Dan Burnell flicked an effort over the bar after Chris Seeby's half volley bounced up off the turf just before half time - their first effort of any note to that point.
But Slough came out strongly in the second half and levelled within two minutes of the restart. A short spell of pressure resulted in Burnell turning the ball in from close range after a Stuart Swift corner was headed back across by Sean Sonner.
This was the perfect boost for Slough, in front of a large crowd of 414, and the Rebels began to enjoy more of the ball as Burnham dropped off slightly – but the hosts were clearly in no mood to surrender, with their back four, including former Slough players Chris Robinson and Johnny Gray, standing firm.
Lewis Driver was a constant threat for the hosts, though was fortunate to stay on the pitch after a number of niggly fouls saw him close to a second yellow card, and the forward would eventually be replaced by Jordan Dowdican.
For Slough, Adam Martin was exerting more and more influence on the game, and this coincided with the Rebels looking more of a goal threat in the second half. Martin worked his way into a good shooting position on his left foot 25 yards out, but Andrew Bayliss held the effort comfortably.
Meanwhile, Knight went close once again for Burnham - this time bursting clear after a poor header back by Alex Brown and firing a shot which beat James Warrington but came back off the post before being hacked away.
The game was now a highly entertaining spectacle for the neutral as both sides pushed for a winning goal, and in the closing stages it was Slough who looked the most likely to find it, but the Rebels failed to steal a winning goal against their determined opponents.
After Dan Burnell had fired straight at Bayliss from a tight angle, the keeper also denied Steve Sinclair after he was set free on the right, though a pass across goal may have seen Sonner convert – but the match ended in a draw, a creditable result for both sides.
Slough recorded a comfortable win at the Gore last season, but despite this, the Rebels have suffered a fairly indifferent record against their near neighbours in recent years.
Early on, it was apparent that Burnham would be no pushovers, the Blues coming into game after some decent results in recent months which have moved them away from the danger zone, but on the back of a disappointing defeat against Chalfont St Peter.
But in the first half, Slough, seven points clear at the top of the league, had no answer to Burnham's direct style of football and pressure, and the Blues dominated.
The first chance for the hosts came with just six minutes played, Lee Togwell volleying over from a good position after a cushioned header down from Keiron Knight.
Alex Brown then produced a brilliant tackle to deny former Holyport forward Lewis Driver an almost certain goal, before dangerous left midfielder Harry Pritchard slammed a shot across goal and wide of the far post after being picked out by a fine pass from the right.
Slough had not yet registered an attack of note, and Burnham went closer still when former Slough target Will Hendry, on loan from Hayes & Yeading, curled an effort just over the angle of post and bar from the edge of the box.
Six minutes later, Burnham did opening the scoring, a deserved lead which came in fine style. Burnham worked the ball over to Pritchard on the left, and his superb first-time cross found Driver in the middle, who steered a volley past Warrington.
Slough were lucky to go into the break a single goal behind, but only after Knight had fired another effort over from 25 yards. For the Rebels, Dan Burnell flicked an effort over the bar after Chris Seeby's half volley bounced up off the turf just before half time - their first effort of any note to that point.
But Slough came out strongly in the second half and levelled within two minutes of the restart. A short spell of pressure resulted in Burnell turning the ball in from close range after a Stuart Swift corner was headed back across by Sean Sonner.
This was the perfect boost for Slough, in front of a large crowd of 414, and the Rebels began to enjoy more of the ball as Burnham dropped off slightly – but the hosts were clearly in no mood to surrender, with their back four, including former Slough players Chris Robinson and Johnny Gray, standing firm.
Lewis Driver was a constant threat for the hosts, though was fortunate to stay on the pitch after a number of niggly fouls saw him close to a second yellow card, and the forward would eventually be replaced by Jordan Dowdican.
For Slough, Adam Martin was exerting more and more influence on the game, and this coincided with the Rebels looking more of a goal threat in the second half. Martin worked his way into a good shooting position on his left foot 25 yards out, but Andrew Bayliss held the effort comfortably.
Meanwhile, Knight went close once again for Burnham - this time bursting clear after a poor header back by Alex Brown and firing a shot which beat James Warrington but came back off the post before being hacked away.
The game was now a highly entertaining spectacle for the neutral as both sides pushed for a winning goal, and in the closing stages it was Slough who looked the most likely to find it, but the Rebels failed to steal a winning goal against their determined opponents.
After Dan Burnell had fired straight at Bayliss from a tight angle, the keeper also denied Steve Sinclair after he was set free on the right, though a pass across goal may have seen Sonner convert – but the match ended in a draw, a creditable result for both sides.
Slough Town Lineup
- 1 James Warrington
- 2 Alex Brown
- 3 Chris Seeby
- 4 Adam Martin
- 5 Nathan Bowden-Haase
- 6 David Woozley
- 7 Steve Sinclair
- 8 Paul Coyne
- 9 Danny Burnell
- 10 Sean Sonner
- 11 Stuart Swift
Substitutes
- 12 Ollie Burgess
- 14 Ben Abbey
- 15 Simon Sweeney
- 16 Chris Herron
- 17 Steve Perkins
Burnham Lineup
Andrew Bayliss, Chris Robinson, Johnny Gray, Jon Munday (Ashley Smith), Ryan Bird, Dan Willment, Lee Togwell, Will Hendry, Kieron Knight, Lewis Driver (Jordan Dowdican), Harry Pritchard. Subs not used: Dave Reading, Jeff Brown, Adam Dickens.