For their first pre-season game of the season at Peel Croft and with many established players unavailable or injured it was a very young and untried squad of players who faced Matlock. After a performance that showed both good and bad qualities Burton eventually lost by five points in an eighty point game that provided the coaches with plenty to think about in the next three weeks before league action begins.

Burton kicked-off and a good kick by Jack Bartram saw the Burton pack struggle to cope with the pressure that the visitors applied from the start, but good defending kept the opposition at bay for the first fifteen minutes. But then a powerful surge forward by the visiting pack saw Matlock take the lead with an unconverted try.

This stung Burton into life and the home side began to reverse the flow with some strong bursts up field that after another fifteen minutes saw new captain Josh Cartwright lead the way and score his first try in Burton colours in over six years to level the scores. But Matlock quickly established their composure and continued to come out on top from the many forward exchanges that followed. A converted try under the posts by Matlock’s centre after some solid forward pressure put the 5-12 in front at the half-time whistle.

After the restart it was Matlock who again dominated the forward exchanges as they continued were they had left off and a moment of panic in the Burton defence saw a loose back pass swooped upon by a Matlock flanker as the Burton defence stood and watched. This soft try saw the visitors extend their lead to 5-19 with ten minutes of the second half gone.

Burton, however, at last upped their game and a powerful burst by Gareth Sutton saw him touch down for a try after some slick handling by the home side. Darryl Banton converted to take the score to 12-19 as Burton began to pile on the pressure. Gavin Cole then showed the visitors a clean pair of heels as he raced through their defence to touch down and convert his own try to level the scores at 19-19.

Bur from the restart Matlock again pressed forward and won good ruck ball that saw their half-back put in a neat cross kick that their winger take on the full and touch down for a try to put them five points ahead.

From the restart Ian Gilmour dummied his pass to out fox the opposition defence before he threw out a long pass to Cole, who raced clear for his second try of the game to level the scores again at 24-24. Matlock stormed forward from the restart and as their winger chased after a long through kick Burton were penalised for tackling the man without the ball and Matlock converted the penalty try to take a 24-31 lead. The visitors the produced more powerful forward play to drive over the line for another try and extend their lead to 24-36 with ten minutes to play.

A solid scrum by Burton on the opposition twenty-two saw Banton break and dummy his way over for a try to reduce the deficit to five points. But the visitors quickly responded with more good forward pressure and scored another try to increase their lead to ten points at 31-41.

Burton responded well and after James Hamilton, Adam Smith and Dave Fitchett had set up good field position Gilmour needed little invitation to glide through the defence to take the score back to 36-41. Burton spent the last five minutes camped inside the opposition twenty-two but just could not get a final score that could have given them victory before the final whistle blew and two very-tired squads of players left the field at the end of a close hard fought contest.