A damp, cool afternoon saw Dave Archer kicked-off for Burton to start this fixture against Old Northamptonians on Peel Croft this Saturday with his side looking for a return to winning ways. The visitors soon showed they had other ideas as they gathered the ball safely to see their forwards make ground back to the halfway line where a penalty against Burton for offside saw them kick into the home twenty-two. From the ensuing lineout they attempted a little kick and chase but the Burton defence were alert and stopped this threat to be given a scrum. A good solid Burton scrum saw Joel Booth pick-up and with Kelvin Browne in support the ball was driven back towards the home twenty-two.

Unfortunately as the drive was halted and a ruck formed and the referee deemed that the ball was still in the ruck as he the sent Booth to the sin-bin for a professional foul for trying to snatch the ball from back of the ruck. An offence that he later penalised Northamptonians on at least two occasions without any resulting sin-binning!

So after two minutes Burton were down to fourteen men, but they seemed unperturbed as they broke out of defence with good powerful forward drive by Browne, Steve Cross, Jon Edwards and Rob Wakelin. These powerful plays eventually saw Dan Smith released and race upfield only to be stopped five metres short of the opposition line. But another penalty against Burton saw Nothants kick downfield to clear the danger. Two more penalties against Burton saw Nothants set up good field position in home territory. Then a third penalty five metres from the Burton line saw the opposition take a tap and drive to force their way over and get the ball down for a try in the corner. With the conversion missed the fourteen-man Burton team trailed 5-0 after ten minutes play.

From the restart Burton took play forward to the opposition twenty-two and a Burton lineout saw Josh Cartwright take the ball to feed the backs where Lewis Brooks and Danny Smith combined and took play forward before being tackled into touch. Northamptonians replied by kicking the ball high and deep back to Burton territory and a misjudgement by Darryl Banton saw him knock-on to give them a scrum on the home twenty-two. But from the scrum Burton were awarded a penalty and Luke Peach kicked back to halfway. From the lineout Cartwright again won good ball and driven on by Matt Tivey, Dan Clarke, Jon Edwards and Booth, refreshed from his enforced rest, Burton surged upfield to be awarded a penalty. Archer’s attempt from forty-five metres just fell agonisingly short and as the opposition tried to run out of defence they dropped the ball for a Burton scrum. Jon Evans broke blind from the solid Burton scrum and scampered over for a try to level the scores. Archer missed the conversion but Burton were now back on level terms after twenty-five minutes play.

For the rest of the half play swung from end to end but neither side could get that elusive score to go into the break ahead. Brooks and Smith both made good runs, while Archer and Banton were solid returning kicks from the opposition. But as the whistle sounded for halftime it was defences that were on top.

Northamptonians restarted the game and kicked deep but Banton safely gathered and returned the ball back to the home ten-metre line. Burton continued to press and another long-range penalty attempt by Archer just dipped below the cross bar. The Burton scrum continued to have the edge on their opposite numbers, but with the opposition putting boot to ball more often than not Burton’s weaker lineout was made to struggle although Cartwright did steal some ball. But as Burton pushed forward a lineout resulted in a penalty for them thanks to the opposition taking out Cartwright. Banton stepped up from fullback to put the ball between the uprights to put Burton 8-5 in the lead after ten minutes of the second half.

But straight from the restart Burton were penalised and the chance to level the scores wasn’t ignored as Northamptonian’s kicker put the ball through the centre of the posts. For the next ten minutes neither side could get any advantage as both sides conceded penalties to lose ground made. Then a great take by Edwards at a lineout saw the ball driven forward before Evans released Banton and Smith down the blindside to take play passed halfway and earn Burton another penalty as Northants blatantly slowed the ball. But this was to be Edwards’s last contribution as sore ribs saw Joe Gazzard replace him in the second row.

Cartwright set up another Burton drive into the visitors twenty-two and Evans released Peach, who saw the onrushing Harry Titley and passed to him. The latter surge forward fifteen metres towards the opposition line but as he tried to ground the ball it was deemed to go forward for a Northants scrum five-metres out. Burton’s pack summoned up an almighty effort and Booth emerged with the ball only to be stooped yards short. Another penalty saw Northants clear the danger to halfway and from here they kept the ball tight to drive upfield to get another penalty award. But their kick sailed wide and from the Burton drop-out Northamptonians struggled to control the ball and were driven backwards to halfway, but much to players and spectators surprise the referee awarded the opposition a penalty. With shouts of derision being heard from both on and off the field the referee marched Burton back at least fifteen metres, one can only assume he was penalising supporters as well. This put the mark within the visitor’s kickers range and he duly took full advantage to take the three grateful points and give his side an 11-8 lead after thirty-three minutes of the half.

This lifted the visitors and they proceeded to pile pressure on the Burton line, but good defensive work by Burton’s defence and kicking by Banton and Jack Bartram, who had replaced Peach, kept the visitors at bay. A great effort by the Burton pack forced the ball into touch for a Northants lineout and once again a catch and drive saw them force their way over for a try wide out.

Trailing by 16-8 with only injury time to play Burton threw everything forward and a great run by Titley took play to within five-metres of the opposition line. Another take by Cartwright at a Burton lineout saw the pack drive forward and get to within two-metres of the line. When stopped Evans spun the ball out to Brooks and Titley, but despite frantic efforts the final whistle sounded before Burton could get the score that would have at least given then a bonus point.