WOKINGHAM & Emmbrook can consider themselves unfortunate to have lost 2-1 to Burnham, the runaway Hellenic League Division One East leaders, at Larges Lane on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

They looked the better side in the opening 45 minutes to deservedly lead at half-time and then defended resolutely as the visitors threw everything at them in the second half.

The Sumas deserved a point, but conceded a late goal which gave Burnham their 11th win in 13 league games and left them 11 points clear at the top of the table.

Wokingham manager Dan Bateman rates them the "best team in the division by miles" and believes they would hold their own in the Premier Division.

So his side can certainly be well pleased with their performance as they followed up their 2-1 win over Premier side Abingdon United in the Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup on Tuesday last week thanks to first-half goals from Nick Bateman and Connor Holland.

Despite having to scramble the ball away from their goal area, they started confidently against Burnham and took a 10th-minute lead when Ben Broadhurst, from just outside the area, superbly curled a free-kick over the wall into the top left-hand corner.

Soon afterwards, a cross found Jake White well placed in front of goal, but he could only head straight at keeper Sam Bunting.

Elliott Rushworth was not far away from increasing the lead, but Burnham looked dangerous on the break and forced a couple of good saves out of keeper Owen Holland.

Blues upped the tempo right from the restart and piled on the pressure and it took them just eight minutes to draw level with Ollie Harris finding the bottom left-hand corner following a free-kick.

Connor Holland had a chance to regain the lead when he raced through, but could not find a way past the advancing Bunting, while Rushforth twice went close.

However, more opportunities were falling Burnham's way, stretching the Sumas defending to the full, and it was Harris who eventually fired home the winner in the 83rd minute.

Wokingham, who remain 10th in the table with half of their league fixtures now completed, travel to Slough's Arbour Park this coming Saturday to play seventh-placed Chalvey Sports (3pm).