Nothing Goes Right For Burton This Week

Burton travelled to Syston, who have struggled a little so far this season, looking to build on the excellent performance at Battlestead Croft against Banbury last week. Harry Titley was able to name an unchanged team – a rarity this season – for what is normally a closely contested fixture and one where they ran out victors last season. However they found themselves on the wrong end of a heavy defeat and were only able to get a consolation score at the very end of the game. Prior to kick off there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence for Remembrance Day.
Syston kicked off the game and Burton returned the ball for a Syston throw at a lineout just inside their own half. For the first couple of minutes or so Syston put together several phases of play, taking them into the Burton half but found it difficult to gain much in the way of territory and eventually a knock on handed the put in to Burton at the first scrum. A couple of re-sets later the referee then penalised Burton for collapsing the scrum. The penalty was converted to give Syston an early lead after just 6 minutes. Syston 3-0 Burton.
Following the re-start Burton were awarded another scrum but wasted their opportunity to put Syston under pressure when a kick from the base went dead giving Syston a drop out from their own “22”. Shortly after this Burton were guilty of kicking away possession again and Syston then had their first opportunity to score the opening try of the game as their scrum half made a super break only to be stopped well into the Burton “22”. Burton were then penalised at the breakdown and Syston opted to kick for goal a second time which was converted to double their lead after almost 15 minutes. Syston 6-0 Burton.
Burton were finding it impossible to get their game going as they were being denied possession by the home side who were very astute in their reading of the referee’s decision making. As a result of this Burton were unable to get quick ball at the breakdowns, which made them force their attacking moves, which in turn, led to handling errors and lack of space for them to attack. When Syston eventually got into the Burton danger zone they, once again, found their defence strong and could not break them down. However, as the half passed its mid-point, they would finally break through when a big hole in the middle of the pitch was exploited, and a converted try ensued. Syston 13-0 Burton.
Burton continued to misfire in attack, and it has to be said were not helped by several refereeing decisions against them as Syston managed to continue disrupting their flow on the limited occasions they did manage to keep possession. Things got even worse for Burton as Syston executed a good catch and drive from a lineout to score their second converted try of the half after 29 minutes. Syston 20-0 Burton. The pattern of the game remained the same as half-time approached, with Burton unable to shake themselves out of their nightmare of a game. Syston were not about to offer Burton any sympathy either as with just 3 minutes remaining, they scored their third converted try. Syston 27-0 Burton.
The travelling supporters were in total disbelief with what they had witnessed in the first half and were confident that things would get better in the second half, Sadly they were disappointed as with just 3 minutes played Syston scored their bonus point try but at least from a Burton perspective there was some good news as the conversion was missed. Syston 32-0 Burton.
Syston continued to make life tough for the Burton team as they scored three more tries on 52, 65 and 75 minutes, two of which were converted to take their tally over the 50-point mark before Burton finally put some pressure on the home try line and Alex Nesbitt scored a consolation try after 75 minutes after a sustained spell of pressure on the home line. There was little time left to play and the result was categoric. Syston 51-5 Burton. It sees Burton drop to 5th in the league, just 2 points behind next week’s opponents Bromsgrove who had a big win against bottom side Broadstreet this week.