Team Spirit and Superb Defence secures crucial win

Burton entertained Sutton Coldfield on The Oxhay, asked by the coaches to put in a strong performance on behalf of absent colleague Kieren Hawketts, who sustained a bad ankle break in midweek training.

Burton were playing into a strong headwind. The forwards began the first period where they left off last week, showing deft handling and solid drives as they worked their way up the field. A Burton penalty gave them a line-out which was won and they drove across the try-line, only for the ball to be held up by the visitors. Thereafter the half saw Sutton taking advantage of the conditions as they pinned Burton well into their end of the pitch. Time and again their backs attacked the Burton right but Eddie Runagle on the wing was rock solid as each time he crashed them into touch. The Burton line-out was under pressure in the strong cross-wind, and relieving kicks from the backs could make little ground in the wind. Fortunately the visitors were repeatedly penalised for diving in, and were to miss the only difficult penalty attempt they were awarded.

As the half ticked away Burton were able to drive out through forwards Gibbons and Bowen. Sutton countered and only a try-saving tackle from scrum-half Henry Andrew prevented them opening the scoring. Playing into the strong wind the home team could claim a moral victory as the half closed without score.

Early in the second half prop Stuart Carter went off with a head injury in what is likely to be his last match after many years service in the squad, as he leaves to join the army in the coming weeks. The scrums went unopposed. Burton earned a penalty and Charles Popp kicked successfully from only 5m inside the half-way line to open the scoring.

Sutton came back, again attacking the Burton right. The home sides clearance kick was charged down but Burton held on with strong tackling. Fly-half Whitfield, taking the vacant slot at the back of the scrum, put in a long box kick clearance (emulating an absent scrum-half who has made that his trademark). The visitors surged forward and went over the line, but this time it was Burton who were able to hold up the ball. However, at the scrum Sutton took the blind side and drove over for the first try half way through the second period.

The visitors were looking strong on the break and their line-out began to dominate. Nevertheless, the Burton lads were more than equal in open play and with the wind behind them, long and precise downfield kicking from the backs pinned them back. The Burton forwards burrowed and mined themselves toward the line and eventually went over with a combined effort in the right-hand corner, well converted by Popp who judged the wind perfectly.

As the match closed Burton found themselves conducting desperate but solid defence on their try line (ably assisted by Mary Bird, just off the back of the pack in the dead-ball zone). They held onto their lead, being well deserved 10:5 victors in a sterling performance between well matched sides.

Finally a word of appreciation from your correspondent to coach Drage for his selfless devotion to the cause, showing his preparedness to spend a whole Saturday night in the Shoulder of Mutton and other Barton pubs in order to enforce the players curfew.

13.02.2011