(Schweppes Essex Senior League)

Though Ramblers can still win the league, performances like this one on Saturday will make it the more difficult.

Simply on the day Ramblers could not find the inventiveness to break down a side who defended deeply and doggedly.

They have improved since Burnham's eight-goal haul at Southend, but they were not an outstanding team.

Ramblers' main problem is that goal ace Steve Harding is just not scoring. He is working hard and finding good positions, but it is not going in, and two first half opportunities went begging.

Francis looked the best hope of a breakthrough but he was often running at a packed defence.

On 70 minutes a cross to the far post found Harding free, but he made a mash of the header.

At the other end Manor looked threatening on the break as Burnham tried to push on, but goalkeeper Reeves was far from busy.

Billy Herbert came on for the last quarter and a neat flick nearly set Francis up. Again though a great last ditch tackle saved Manor and they deserve credit for the way they defended.

Burnham Ramblers: Reeves, Marchmant, Tracey, Cousins, Shirley, Francis, Bryant, Harvey, Fletcher, Stevens and Harding. Substitutes: Yoonan (Brant) and Herbert (Harding).

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.