Buriram were looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their defeat by Muang Thong against newly-promoted BB-CU but made heavy weather of securing the three points.

It took a fortuitous effort by Sittichok and a late own-goal to finally see-off the home side who had a real go at the champions. Buriram were disjointed throughout and their passing was way below the standard of which they are capable of.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between and it is a real worry that teams that Buriram would normally sweep aside are proving difficult to beat. Indeed, Buriram’s main chances of scoring came from the numerous corners that they were constantly winning.

From one of these in the eighteenth minute, Jakkaphan had a free header but not surprisingly, he sent it high and wide. Shortly after, Buriram were rescued by a superb Tunez tackle after BB-CU had broken through.

Jakkaphan then needed lengthy treatment following a tackle and had to be replaced by Sittichok. He’d only been on the field a few minutes when he opened the scoring.

He latched onto a through-ball, running between two defenders and when he tried to knock it past the keeper , it rebounded into the net off the striker’s shin !

Sittichok turned provider in the fortieth minute when he crossed low from the right for Weslley to send a low shot straight at the keeper when he really should have done better.

Right on half-time Suree received a yellow card for a dreadful tackle before a right-wing cross found Sittichok in space but he fired high over the bar.

Buriram were certainly on top but they created very little and looked vulnerable to counter-attacks.

Three minutes into the second-half Narubadin shot wide from the edge of the area, again he should at least have hit the target. Five minutes later, the disappointing Yong was replaced by Kaio.

The home side almost snatched an equalizer shortly after when Siwarak was beaten to the ball but Tunez got back to head off the line. Narubadin was then unlucky to see his header from Suchao’s right-wing corner headed off the line.

BB-CU then had a glorious chance to level from a free-kick on the left but the striker missed the ball completely with the goal at his mercy. Anawin was then replaced by Nattapol as Buriram looked to shore up the defence.

The home side then had the best chance of the match in the sixty-seventh minute when Suree dived in and missed his tackle completely and the ensuing left-wing cross was headed wide when it seemed easier to score.

Nattapol  received his mandatory yellow card for another needless challenge and he really does need to control himself better. Tunez was then unlucky in the seventy-fifth minute when he headed Suchao’s right-wing free-kick inches wide of the post.

Weslley then had the chance to make the game safe but he blazed high over the bar following a good move down the right. Buriram finally got the all-important second goal three minutes from time.

Suchao’s corner was blocked and when Seul-Ki returned the ball into the box, it was headed into his own net by a hapless defender.

Three points is three points but it was probably Buriram’s worst performance of the season and it’s time to forget about hitting long-balls to target men and get back to playing football.