MATCH REPORT | BURNHAM FC v RAYNERS LANE FC – LEAGUE, 04.11.2023

Burnham 4 –   Rayners Lane 4  –  4th November 2023 – Dean Butler

Late drama at The 1878 stadium as the Blues play out an 8 goal thriller at home to Rayners Lane FC.

The Blues playing their first home league match since late August entertained league leaders Rayners Lane and it was the visitors who had the better of the first half.  The match was played at quite a frenetic pace with two good footballing teams playing on what is a perfect playing surface, both sides created chances in the first half but it was Rayners Lane who created the more clear chances and at times the Burnham goal lead a charmed life, despite this Carl Dennison in the Burnham net was rarely threaten with the visitors shooting high and wide on numerous occasions.

Both sides played out the half a very entertaining half but at the break the deadlock was not broken.

HT   Burnham 0 –   Rayners Lane 0

The second half unlike the first was filled with goals and it was Burnham who got the break through. A frantic 15 minute spell saw the Blues net 3 times and race off into the lead. Dead ball specialist Leo Decabo getting two of the three goals, the first was a free kick from 20 yards out which took a deflection on its way to goal and wrong footed the visiting keeper. The second was a converted penalty, in between these two goals and the second of the afternoon a smart finish from Firas Chniba following a mix up inside the Rayners lane box.

The visitors embarked on what seemed like an unlikely comeback and remarkably on the 95th minute levelled the score to 3.3 . The hosts had been on the back foot for the final quarter of the match and the pressure finally told.

This wasn’t however the last incident in the game. Now well into the 10th minute of additional time following a great run from Anas Igozoulin he was deemed to have been fouled in the box giving Leo Decabo a chance to complete his Hatrick. He converted giving the keeper no chance making it 4.3 to the Blues with 99 minutes on the clock.

The visitors now down to 10 men following protests after the penalty incident kicked off and managed to get a corner in now the 101st minute this resulted in a goal mouth scramble the ball somehow managed to end up in the Burnham net make the score with the final kick of the match 4.4 .

A remarkable second 45  minutes with goals and incidents galore the visitors will come away happier with the point having been behind until the last kick of the match.

FT  Burnham 4 –   Rayners Lane 4

Goal scorers – Leo Decabo 3 , Firas Chniba

FA Vase action returns to The 1878 Stadium this Saturday with the visit of Glebe FC in the 2nd round proper.