SENIOR COLTS WALK THROUGH A STORM

With a full squad turning out, only thirteen players were able to play as Burnley were short. Southport kicked off in torrential rain but with the wind in their favour and immediately pressurised the Burnley defence. Burnley won the slippery ball and cleared up field only for Joe Ryan to kick the ball over the top towards Burnley's post and Lewis Caldwell chased. Burnley were unable to defend and Lewis scored within ninety seconds of the start. 0 - 5. Ben Cresswell converted. 0 -7.

Burnley won a scrum from their kick off but as they did not have any front row this was uncontested and throughout the match. The play from then on was very scrappy in the middle of the park due to the inclement weather. A good kick up field chased by Joe Ryan, having pushed off two defenders, led to his first try. 0 - 12. Ben Cresswell converted for a second time. 0 - 14. Southport played well to keep Burnley in their own half. Nathan Walsh used his mighty force to charge forward and flatten the defender to earn a scrum on the twenty two yard line from which Connor Holmes-Smith passed the ball out to Ryan who scored a second try 0 - 19. Ben failed to convert. Half-time 0 - 19.

In the second half the weather actually got wetter and windier with horizontal rain and very muddy players. Burnley kicked off with the elements behind them. Ryan again was masking his presence felt as he chased a loose ball and was clean through when his shirt was pulled from behind. Southport remained in Burnley's half but the conditions prevented both sides keeping hold of the ball. Southport's pressure paid off when Alex Frost held the ball, charged forward ploughing through the defence to score his first try. 0 - 24. Conversion missed. At this point Burnley looked defeated and re-started the game only for Southport to attack. Frosty got possession and charged forward to score under the posts 0 -29. Ben Cresswell scored the conversion 0 - 31. This was the last kick of the match.

A big thank you for all the supporters who braved the elements and travelled to Burnley from Southport.