Football has a habit of kicking teams in the teeth, at such times!

Daventry Town started brightly; a half - hearted appeal for a penalty, when striker Josh Blake appeared to have been pulled down in the box, in the third minute, was waved away by the referee, and Scott Cross also forced Burnham keeper Michael Watkins into making a good save soon after, in the tenth minute.
It was league leaders Burnham who struck first, in the twelfth minute; a header from the league’s top goal scorer Ryan Bird, fell kindly into the path of Tom Willment, providing the midfielder with a clear opportunity to smash his volley past a helpless Richard Morris.
Winger James Dobson also hit a fierce shot narrowly past the right hand post of the Daventry goal, as Burnham tried to build on their early lead.
Going a goal behind encouraged Daventry to push further forward and Ryan Howell, starting a game for the first time, scored a spectacular goal to equalise in the twentieth minute, some good work in the box from Josh Blake, forced the Burnham defenders to push the ball out into the path of Howell, who picked his spot, with a wonderful shot from about twenty yards.
Howell was looking to shoot whenever the opportunity arose and it was in the twenty sixth minute that he scored his second goal of the game and most precise, chipping the ball over the head of keeper Michael Watkins from outside the area, to the rapturous applause of the Purple Army.
Howell could easily have had a hat trick in the first half; a rasping shot from distance was pushed around the post for a corner, soon after his second goal.
Daventry should have extended their lead before half time, but for another great save from the Burnham keeper, who held on to a fierce volley from Neil King.
In the fifty third minute, Daventry extended their lead, Adam Confue ran right across the penalty area, waiting for the ideal chance to shoot and much to the relief of Daventry supporters, he did finally hit his strike beyond the stranded keeper, to give Town what appeared, a comfortable two goal lead!
Josh Blake almost added a fourth, a cross into the area from Adam Confue, looked to be perfectly set for Blake to head towards goal, but a bizarre bounce took it over his head and away to safety.
Daventry keeper Richard Morris was called into tipping a free kick over the bar, but Town supporters were feeling a little less happy in the sixty sixth minute, when Tom Willment scored his second to give Burnham renewed hope of taking something from the match.
Burnham were looking dangerous with every attack, a shot from Lewis Driver was deflected over the bar for a corner and Richard Morris was called into action a few more times before Burnham equalised, a twenty sixth goal of the season for striker Ryan Bird in the seventy seventh minute, getting up high to head the ball past a helpless Richard Morris.

The match had become very heated, a number of tackles on Daventry players had gone unpunished by the Referee, much to the obvious annoyance and frustration of Daventry players, supporters and management, which resulted in Daventry Town Manager Darran Foster being sent off, and banished to the club house balcony.

It was almost to be expected that in the final few minutes Burnham would wreck Daventry Towns hopes of a play - off place, by snatching the winning goal, it was left to Ryan Bird to add yet another goal to his seasons healthy goal total, by flicking a hopeful cross past a demoralised Richard Morris.

Somehow Daventry Town had managed to turn what looked like a certain victory into a stunning defeat, the players had battled tremendously hard, the Town had scored three excellent goals, but a combination of poor referee decisions and determination plus tenacity on the part of Burnham, has poured doubt on our play – off ambitions for this season.

Next up for Daventry Town are two trips to Holloways Park in Buckinghamshire, for what should be even more competitive matches against Beaconsfield SYCOB and Slough Town.

I suppose the season is not dead, until it is impossible for Daventry Town to reach the play- off places, all Daventry Town can now do, is continue to play to win their matches and hope some miracle happens along the way!

©JWD