Riding high on the confidence from a strong midweek training session, the Burnham U9s arrived for their game against Basildon with a clear focus: apply the lessons learned and raise their game to the next level. From the first whistle, it was evident that the hard work was paying off.

Burnham started with intensity, immediately showcasing their improved tackling and ball presentation. Their passing game, now quicker and more fluid, stretched the Basildon defense, forcing gaps that Burnham’s powerful runners exploited with ruthless efficiency. This team is evolving into something very special, there are far fewer blinkered solo runs, replaced by brilliant and clever runs with slick, last-gasp offloads, leading to superb team tries.

Defensively, Burnham were relentless. Their tackling was so fierce and well-organized that Basildon struggled to gain any foothold in the game. Burnham’s discipline at restarts was once again outstanding, and it’s now becoming a defining feature of their play—not just at the beginning of each phase but throughout the match.

At the heart of this well-drilled, intelligent performance was Player of the Match, Billy. His game awareness was on another level, constantly reading play and positioning himself perfectly—whether stepping into the gaps left by teammates or making himself available in space. As the rest of the team starts to see and react to these opportunities with the same vision, Burnham will become an even more formidable force.

A superb all-round display from a team that’s growing in confidence, intelligence, and skill every week. Well done, Burnham—this was a performance to be very proud of!