Despite the constraints of a long midweek journey to play this RFU League Champions Cup Quarter Final against Midlands 1 East champions, Scunthorpe, at their Heslam Park ground Burton put in a good account of themselves. But with the game ending in defeat it marked a sad end to a wonderful season. However, had some better refereeing decision have gone their way the result could have been reversed and they could have travelled home as worthy victors. Unfortunately after a great first half display that saw them go into the break with a narrow 20-16 lead two harsh yellow cards saw fourteen Burton players having to try and compete against a very, well balanced home side for half the second half. Scunthorpe took full advantage of the extra man to turn the screw and finish an enthralling game as victors.

Burton kicked-off and soon made inroads into home territory as Joe Carpenter and Jon Edwards surged forward to take play into the opposition twenty-two. After three minutes of intense Burton pressure a break by Tom Bartram saw Burton streaming towards the home line. But with the referee playing no advantage Burton were brought back for an offside decision in front of the posts and so instead of a possible seven points Burton had to opt for just three as Bartram’s penalty kick bisected the uprights to give Burton a 3-0 lead.

Immediately from the restart Carpenter gathered and raced forward bouncing through would-be tacklers to set-up a ruck on the home ten-metre line. Good quick ball saw Darryl Banton spin the ball out to Ian Gilmour who threw a long pass out to Lewis Brooks. In turn he fed the on-rushing John Philliskirk, who raced twenty metres before passing to Dan Smith and the diminutive winger used all his weight and skill to touch-down in the corner. From the touchline Bartram made no mistake with his conversion that sailed straight through the middle of the posts. Burton now led 10-0 after just six minutes play and Scunthorpe had yet to get into Burton’s half.

A great kick upfield from inside his own-half saw Banton take play back to within five-metres of the home line from the restart and put Burton firmly back on the offensive. But a dubious penalty in the line-out allowed Scunthorpe to relieve the pressure as they kicked back to halfway. At this lineout the referee again decided Burton had infringed and the home kicker duly slotted over his penalty attempt from the halfway line to reduce the score-line to 10-3. But just three minutes later Bartram cancelled this out with his own successful kick after the opposition had at last been found guilty of killing the ball.

Now leading 13-3 Burton failed to gather the restart cleanly and from the scrum some poor defending around the fringes allowed the home side to pour through and score a converted try just under the posts. Shortly after this Burton temporally lost the services of Jon Edwards and Danny Clarke as head wounds made the replacement bench area look like a gory first war battlefield. Thankfully they both returned to action after some patching-up.

With the home team now getting more and more into contention Burton replied with probably their best try of the season. From the restart Scunthorpe kick high and long down-field towards the Burton line, but the safe hands of youngster Brooks gathered the ball and threw a long pass out to fellow junior Smith. He set off from inside his own twenty-two and proceeded to race diagonally and jink his way elusively round every defender between him and the opposition fullback. AS he neared the fullback he saw Lawrence Betty racing up in support to take his pass and swerve inside to score under the posts. Bartram again made no mistake with his conversion and Burton again had some breathing space with the score at 20-10.

Scunthorpe tore back into Burton territory and after six minutes of immense pressure, which saw the Rob Wakelin, Dan Clarke, Simon Spencer and Craig Dutton all tackling like demons the Burton defence held out. But then another penalty decision gave the home side a chance to reduce the lead from in front of the posts and their kicker duly obliged. The restart saw the opposition continue to push forward but the Burton squad was giving nothing away as it countered with powerful runs from Charl Neethling, Dutton, Josh Cartwright and Carpenter. The game continued to flow to and fro with Gilmour, Bartram and Dutton all making inroads into the Scunthorpe defence, but all too often the referee’s whistle gave penalties against Burton and the opposition had chance to recover. Philliskirk safely gathered an attempted drop goal by Scunthorpe in his own twenty-two, but instead of kicking the ball upfield he opted to try and beat his man only to be dumped to the ground. Fortunately, for once, the referee gave Burton a free kick and Bartram cleared the ball to halfway.

With half time approaching an opposition scrum on the Burton line saw Gilmour yellow carded for offside as he raced forward towards the unbound No. 8. So with the last kick of the half Scunthorpe reduced Burton’s lead to 20-16 as the successful penalty sailed over the Burton bar.

Starting the second half Scunthorpe made full use of their man advantage and quickly added a try in the corner and then followed that with a converted try under the posts. So before Gilmour returned to the game the home side now led 30-20. But Burton hit back as Dutton and Carpenter took play into the home twenty-two. Good quick ball was spun out along the line to Brooks but he just failed to ground the ball and a chance was gone. Then some great following up by Carpenter saw him tackle the opposition fullback on his own line, but with the opposition player hanging on to the ball Burton were denied a certain try and were only awarded a penalty that Bartram duly converted to take the score to 30-23.

The game was now balanced pretty evenly with both sides attacking being stopped by stout defensive barriers. A quick tap penalty by Edwards saw him tackled before he had travelled ten-metres, but an outstretched arm was seen as a punch by the referee and Edwards was yellow carded as Scunthorpe regained the ball to kick it into the Burton twenty-two. Here a great tackle by Dave Archer, on as a replacement for Brooks, saved a near certain try as the Burton team battled to defend their line. Another penalty against Burton saw the home side increase their lead to 33-23, before a scrum on the Burton line saw the unsighted referee award a pushover try as the Burton pack battled to stop the powerful opposition surge. The conversion gave a final score of 40-23 to Scunthorpe.

A defeat is not the good way to end a season but a defeat eighty miles away from home on a Wednesday night is definitely even worse. But I’m sure those few supporters who made the journey would praise and credit all the Burton players and coaches who made this match possible by their huge commitment on the night and throughout the season.