Southern League Division One S&W

Burnham 1 Taunton Town 3

TOWN racked up their 11th Evo-Stik league away win of the season with a 3-1 success at Burnham on Saturday.

Victory extended the Peacocks' undefeated league run to 14 games and was no more than they deserved for their efforts over the 90 minutes.

Debutant Burnham keeper Dave Lyons kept his side in contention during a goalless yet rather frenetic first half, pulling off several good saves to frustrate Town.

An early Jordan Rogers' strike was comfortably caught by Lyons who then foiled Jamie Short after he had been put through by Lewis Powell's clever pass.

The hosts fought back briefly, with Lloyd Irish having to tip over a flicked header following a long throw and then sloppy defending gave Tre Mitford an opening but Irish made a crucial block.

New loan signing Jake Llewellyn's break down the left led to a pass inside to Ollie Chamberlain but his blistering shot was tipped over by Lyons who again thwarted Town when he turned Short's left footer round the post.

It was more of the same after the break, Powell's snapshot kept out by Lyons inside the first minute of play, and when Rogers fired wide of the open target after his header had been parried back to him by the inspired home keeper, it seemed as though it might be one of those days.

However the deadlock was finally broken on 68 minutes when Owen Irish won the ball in the middle and made ground before threading a pass forward to Powell on the right of the box who turned smartly to deliver the finish across the keeper and inside the far post, much to the joy of the travelling support behind the goal.

Llewellyn's cross was just too high for Powell to direct his header on target before the Peacocks striker added his second of the afternoon on 75 minutes, converting a penalty after Lyons had clattered Craig Veal.

Burnham reduced the arrears only three minutes later when a spell of pressure ended with Luke Mann's shot from the right taking a wicked deflection to sneak past Irish at his near post.

This goal galvanised the home side who came very close to equalising when Owen Irish cleared off the line from Andrew Harewood but their hopes were dampened when Town made it 3-1 on 82 minutes.

Chamberlain ran clear onto Ben Carter's pass and squared to Powell whose first effort was blocked and his follow-up ricocheted against the post to hit home defender Dominic Rhone who was helpless to stop the ball rolling over the line.

Another smart break nearly gave the visitors a fourth close to time, Carter's pass releasing Veal and from his backheel Chamberlain fired just wide, as Town closed the gap at the top to just one point.