BURNHAM twice showed promising signs that they may just be turning the corner following their dreadful start to the season.

After trailing 4-0, they fought back to halve their deficit against Bracknell Town last Saturday, only to lose 5-2.

“The second half was more encouraging,” coach Luther Blissett told the Observer.

Then, when Flackwell Heath came to The Gore on Tuesday evening, Burnham could easily have gone two goals up early on, prompting Blissett to comment: “That was our best start to a game we’ve made this season.”

However, after that it all went horribly wrong and Burnham crashed to a 9-0 defeat.

“We simply have got to stop conceding so many soft goals,”admitted Blissett.

Defeat looked on the cards inside the first 30 minutes on Saturday when the side coached by former Blues manager Mark Tallentire raced into a 3-0 lead through Terence Bohane, Joe Grant and Seb Bowerman.

Kensley Maloney made it four just after half-time, however, but Burnham refused to lie down and scored twice in five minutes through Dan Watkiss, with a well-placed free-kick from outside the area, and Dan Wilson.

Burnham certainly knocked some rhythm out of the Robins, but still could not prevent Grant adding a fifth goal on 75 minutes.

“It was disappointing as all the goals could have been avoided,” said Blissett.

Slough Observer:

PHOTO: Burnham (blue and white) suffered a 5-2 defeat to Bracknell Town at The Gore on Saturday.

“We did well to get a couple back and, with a bit more belief in the side, we may have pushed Bracknell even closer. The second-half performance was more encouraging.

“One or two players were more up for it than they had been in the first half and actually did themselves justice.”

With that in mind, Blissett was looking for continued improvement from his team on Tuesday and that appeared to be the case when they created two early chances.

Neat work by Kyle Janko and Elliott Amadeau produced a cross that just eluded Jason Parsons in front of goal.

And then minutes later Cheyenne Cripps raced clear, only to fire low just past the far post.

But, on 12 minutes, a slip in defence allowed Jamie Essex to open the scoring, which deflated Burnham and led to the Heathens taking full control.

Dan Burnell added the second with a 23rd-minute penalty and Essex went on to complete his hat-trick, making it 4-0 at half-time.

After that, the game virtually developed into shooting practice, and the score would have been even larger but for the heroics of young Sam Jacobs in the home goal.

Despite the scoreline, Jacobs still emerged as his side’s man of the match.

The Blues were reduced to 10 men for the last 15 minutes with Watkiss sent off after being shown his second yellow card.

Burnham travel to Highworth this Saturday (3pm) and Ascot United next Tuesday (7.45pm).