Burton welcomed local rivals Lichfield to Peel Croft on Friday, for the semi final of the Staffordshire cup, played under lights. On a bitterly cold evening most of the early pressure came from Burton and the visitors made a series of offences at the breakdown. After one of these offences the Lichfield number eight was yellow carded. Burton did not score from the penalty and Lichfield were able to clear the ball. However, Burton ran it back and after a break by prop Ken Archer he found Scrum half Chaz Bunting in support to score under the posts. Florencio Llerena added the extra points.

Burton followed this up soon afterwards when centre Sam Smith made a break and passed to James Davies who crashed through a tackle to score the second try, also under the posts. Llerena again added the extra points.

Although for the first twenty minutes all the pressure came from Burton, Lichfield now back at full strength started to get back into the game. They were awarded a penalty as Burton committed an offence at the breakdown. From the ensuing lineout the forwards drove over the line to score their first try. The conversion was missed.
Burton now had to soak up some pressure themselves and after a poor clearance kick the Lichfield right winger gathered the ball on the half way line and showed blistering pace to beat three despairing tackles and score in the corner. The kicker again missed the conversion. At this stage the visitors were on top but the Burton defence managed to hold on to half time with the score being 14-10.

After the restart Burton got going again and the forwards started to dominate as they had done most of the first half.
Burton were awarded a penalty and chose to kick for goal. The ball hit the post and bounced out, but the visitors were only able to clear to their 22 metre line. From the lineout the Burton forwards drove over the line with Lewis Sturgess getting the touch down. Llerena again converted.
Burton then went further ahead. After some good running by the backs number eight Lelo Gamashe, back in the side after recovering from a hand injury, got hold of the ball and crashed through the visitors’ defence to score the fourth try for Burton. Llerena again added the extra points.

Games are always hard fought between these two sides and it was inevitable that Lichfield would come back at the home team. This time Burton were under pressure and committed offences at the breakdown, but it was not until Burton had two men in the sin bin that the visitors were able to turn the pressure into points. Burton tackled well but, in the end, ran out of defenders so the visitors scored in the corner. The conversion attempt was again missed.

Burton were not finished yet however, and after some good carries by the forwards they were awarded a penalty of their own. From the lineout Gamashe drove over the line for his second try, which Llerena again converted.

The visitors had the last word in terms of try scoring as they ran through some poor tackling by the Burton defence. As was the case all evening the kicker again failed to add the extra two points.

This was to be a consolation try only as Burton now back at full strength, kept the visitors at bay for the last few minutes of the game, to earn a well deserved victory and a passage through to the final. The final score was Burton 35 Lichfield 20.