Burton march on.

(Report by Rob Nesbitt)
As in previous weeks Bucks started the game in positive fashion, quickly putting Tamworth under severe pressure and play remained deep in Tamworth territory for the first couple of minutes. Good rucking backed up by excellent support by the Bucks forwards resulted in Tom Hughes, who was playing in an unaccustomed position of centre, going over for the first try of the day. With the conversion added by Frank Simpson, Bucks had made the perfect start (Bucks 7-0 Tamworth). There were two further unusual positional changes in Tom Hamlet, at scrum-half and Jack Roddick at full-back.

What followed in the next few minutes was a very scrappy affair with neither side really able to mount any significant attacks. Eventually Bucks’ forwards began to take control once more and their second score followed 10 minutes into the game. This time it was Matt Robinson who finished well in the left-hand corner. A difficult conversion was missed (Bucks 12-0 Tamworth).

Buoyed by their lead, Bucks now began to turn the screws a little and it was no surprise when it was extended further after 14 minutes when the Bucks dominant forwards linked well and Ben Wileman marked his return from injury with a try close to the posts. Frank Simpson added the conversion (Bucks 19-0 Tamworth).

Again what followed tended to be a little scrappy, with Bucks having the majority of territorial advantage but not being able to make this count. They were frustrated by some dogged defending and a number of good clearance kicks from the Tamworth team. One of these kicks produced what was probably the best move of the first-half. It was well fielded by Matt Robinson, inside his own half, who ran the ball back at the Tamworth defence and linked well with Jack Roddick, who showed great pace and avoided several tackles only to be stopped just short of the try line.

Unfortunately, following this, the game returned to its scrappy state and it was around the 25 minute mark when the next score followed. The Bucks forwards got back to their ‘rampaging best’ and a series of rucks down the centre of the pitch ended with the ball being fed to captain, Kieran Hall, who scored near to the posts. The conversion was added by Frank Simpson (Bucks 26-0 Tamworth).

On 30 minutes the Bucks increased their lead further with a move that started on the half-way line. The ball was taken to the blind side by Frank Simpson and eventually fed to Andrew Bird who showed real pace in beating the defensive cover to score under the posts. Frank Simpson added the conversion once again (Bucks 33-0 Tamworth). No further points were added before half-time, although Tamworth did start to show more promise and gained their first real territorial advantage of the match.

The start of the second-half started in similar fashion and proved to be Tamworth’s best period of the match and their fist score was not long in arriving. Being able to secure possession of the ball for the majority of the first 5 minutes gave them great confidence and the ball moved swiftly through their backs hands for them to score in the left-hand corner. The conversion was missed (Bucks 33-5 Tamworth).

Bucks dusted themselves down and came back at Tamworth again. Finding themselves on the left-hand side and deep in the Tamworth ‘22’, Kieran Hall was again on hand to score his second try of the match. A difficult conversion was narrowly missed (Bucks 38-5 Tamworth).

The spirit of the Tamworth side was not quashed by this and they began to mount more sustained pressure on the Bucks line. After around 15 minutes they were awarded a penalty in the Bucks ‘22’, which they took quickly and scored their second try near the posts. The conversion followed and the lead had been cut further (Bucks 38-12 Tamworth). Unfortunately for Tamworth this was to be their final score of the day but they gave their coaches and supporters plenty to cheer about in their performance and never-say-die attitude.

The Bucks got back on the score sheet after about 21 minutes, when Frank Simpson produced some excellent footwork in threading his way through the Tamworth defence to score from 15m out. He added the conversion (Bucks 45-12 Tamworth). The next score came almost immediately from the re-start, when a ruck formed and the ball was moved smartly to Lewis Sanders, who gave a perfectly timed pass to Andrew Bird on his own 10m line. Bird then showed great pace to out-flank the covering defence and score in the right-hand corner. A difficult conversion was missed (Bucks 50-12 Tamworth).

Tamworth again showed great character and it was not until half-an hour gone that Bucks were able to add to their lead. Ed Wainman, for the first time in the match was able to show his strength and pace when he received the ball about 15m out and scored a good try near the posts. The conversion was added by Frank Simpson (Bucks 57-12 Tamworth).

The final score came with the last play of the match and resulted from great link play and getting the ball out wide quickly through several pairs of hands. Tom Hamlet finished off the move in the right-hand corner having switched to full-back. He provided great support to Andrew Bird who was stopped just short of the try line having again been on a fine run from about 40m out. The final conversion of the game proved too difficult and the final score was Bucks 62-12 Tamworth.

Man of the match this week was awarded to Frank Simpson for a fine display at fly-half. Despite the score the Tamworth team must be congratulated on their spirit and sportsmanship. The general consensus form the Bucks’ coaching team was that we never really fired on all cylinders but it had proved to be our toughest victory of the season to date, despite the winning margin. Credit again to Tamworth for this.