After nearly eighty-five minutes of rugby Burton were left to question themselves as to why wrong options were taken when others could have given them a victory that was snatched from their grasp in the last minute. The Burton side was only behind for six minutes in the entire game and appeared to be on course for four more points. But two wrong options at penalties inside the visitor’s twenty-two saw the game turned on its head as Hereford gained possession and finished by storming up field to be awarded a penalty try that gave them the victory.

With rain falling on and off Burton kicked-off and were immediately penalised to give Hereford the chance to clear. But Sam Smith gathered the wayward kick and returned it with interest and as he and Jon Edwards followed up the visitors hurried put the ball into touch just outside their twenty-two. Hereford gained possession from the lineout and another miss-directed clearance saw Dave Archer link with Smith to take play back. From the ruck Ian Gilmour fed Ben Grocott who burst through the defence to touchdown only for the try to be disallowed for a forward pass. During this attack Kelvin Browne received a nasty head wound and while being patched up Jon Parkinson came on as replacement. Burton pressed forward with some good runs by Grocott, Craig Dutton, Charl Neethling and Joel Booth but a penalty for handling in a ruck saw Booth sin binned and Hereford cleared the danger.

Still playing with only fourteen men Burton piled on the pressure and a powerful surge involving Rob Wakelin, Edwards and Josh Cartwright took play into the opposition twenty-two. From the maul Jon Evans fed Gilmour and this time his pass to Grocott was inch perfect as the flanker powered through the defence to get his first try for Burton. Then with Burton back up to full strength a kick ahead by Evans was chased by Gilmour and Dan Smith to pressurise the catcher into a hasty clearance. This gave Burton a lineout on the Hereford ten-metre line and a patched-up Browne caught the ball at the back of the line saw him carried forward by Cartwright, Edwards, Neethling and Wakelin. But Hereford fought back and stole the ball to race forwards only for Browne to stop the move with a wonderful tackle. A Burton scrum saw the pack drive ten-metres forward with a great shove and Booth picked him to feed Dutton on one of his many bustling runs. He linked with Evans who broke through the cover to pass to Archer for the winger to open his legs, cut inside and race thirty metres to score a try. Archer’s kick narrowly missed the upright and Burton now led 10-0 after thirty minutes play.

For the rest of the half Burton tried to play open rugby with Evans and Gilmour continually probing the opposition defence with a combination of kicks and runs, while Dutton, Booth, Edwards and Danny Clarke drove into the heart of opposition ranks. Unfortunately some strange refereeing decisions nullified the efforts of both sides and no further scores were forth coming.

Hereford restarted the game and soon showed that they were not about to give in as they began a series of powerful forward moves. The Burton defence appeared to show no signs of cracking, but a Hereford scrum inside the home twenty-two saw the opposition fullback race into the line and flat foot the defence to score under the posts. The conversion added the extra points and Burton’s lead was reduced to 10-7. But Burton hit back and another run by Evans saw him just fail to get the ball away to the unmarked Archer on the wing. Then, in his last action before being replaced by Darryl Banton, Evans intercepted a pass on his own ten-metre line and raced clear, but sensing the intending tackle he kicked ahead. Gilmour chased after the kick and Hereford hurriedly cleared for a Burton lineout on their twenty-two. But the lineout was lost and Hereford cleared to halfway. From here Burton attacked and a lovely passing movement involving six or seven players finally saw Dan Smith being hauled down just a couple of metres from the line. Hereford countered and a series of kicks saw them move towards the Burton line. A scrum in midfield saw Hereford win the ball and swift hands saw their winger dive in for a try in the corner to give his side a 12-10 lead.

Nathan Taylor replaced Rob Wakelin as Burton restarted the game and he was soon in the thick of the action as he fed Dutton to storm up the blindside with Carwright and Clarke in support. Burton won a scrum in the middle of the pitch some thirty-five metres from the posts. The pack surged forward for five metres and No. 8 Booth took the ball on with his feet. He then released it to Banton, who lifted his foot and hit the ball sweetly between the posts for a drop goal to put Burton back in the lead at 13-12.

Burton still had more to offer and a great tae by Browne saw him burst forward to feed Dutton. He took the ball on supported by Taylor and Harry Titley and eventually Dan Smith received the ball some thirty-metres out to weave his way through a congested twenty-two metre area and touchdown for Burton’s third try. Once again Archer’s conversion narrowly missed but Burton now had a six point lead with only seven minutes plus injury time to play.

Burton continued to press forward and piled the pressure on a tiring Hereford side, who conceded a penalty some five-metres from their line. With its pack dominating set scrums Burton strangely opted to kick to corner only to lose possession and territory as Hereford kicked to clear their lines. Burton again stormed back and won another penalty some ten metres to the right of the posts and fifteen metres out, a very kickable position, but yet again opted for kick to corner. History repeated itself and Hereford raced upfield. Fortunately the two Smiths got back to tackle the man and stop the move inside the home twenty-two. Three scrums and penalties all against Burton first saw Booth sin binned and then a penalty try being awarded. The Hereford kicker made no mistake with the conversion to clinch victory at 19-18 and Burton were left to rue what might have been.