On a bright, but bitterly cold Saturday afternoon Burton took on table toppers Bromsgrove at Peel Croft and after a disastrous first twenty minutes showed that despite their current miserable run of defeats they can compete and beat the best in the National Three (Midlands) league.

A somewhat lethargic looking Burton side kicked-off showing a heavy, tired look that had been evident in their warm-up and had followed them into the game as they began playing like a side ready to accept that defeat was just around the corner. This fact was quickly noted by Bromsgrove who drove hard into the heart of the Burton squad and after just three minutes play a thirty-metre rolling maul saw their No 8 Chris McGregor touch the ball down for the first score. As Ben Copson added the extra points Burton’s troubles rose as the referee summons Edwards over to give him a yellow card for his first offence of the match for entering the maul from the side and a swinging arm.

Four minutes later Burton’s gloom deepened even further as the referee awarded a penalty for offside at a ruck on the Burton ten-metre line and Bromsgrove took a tap to set up a second rolling maul. Whilst that was still at least twenty metres from the Burton line he blew his whistle and raced under the posts to signal a penalty try as the maul had barely collapsed. Copson’s conversion left Burton 14-0 down and a man short after just seven minutes play.

From the restart the Burton pack at last made ground and set up good ball for Darryl Banton to spin the ball out wide and Harry Titley came into the line to break the defence. But with Danny Smith outside him he managed to pass straight to the opposition defender running between them and the Bromsgrove player turned and broke away to race upfield. When stopped his pack were quickly in support to get the ball and spin it out wide where winger Rhys Pritchard was clear to race round to touch down under the posts for Copson to again convert to put the score at 21-0 after just eleven minutes play.

As the opposition tried to increase the score with another surging attack but just as a try looked likely a fantastic covering tackle by Dave Fitchett stopped the winger a metre short of the line. This started a period of good defensive work by Burton that saw then drive the opposition back to the twenty-two-metre line with some good pressurising defensive work. Burton gained a scrum but unfortunately they soon lost the ball and Bromsgrove steamed forward with a series of hard, powerful drives by their strong built forwards the ball. Once stopped they spun the ball out wide and this week it was Burton’s other wing that was found unusually wanting as Bromsgrove Warren Oliver just stepped out of Smith’s tackle to race over for his side’s fourth try that was duly converted by Copson.

Suddenly a breath of fresh air blew over the Burton side and a completely new spirit was evident as the side at last began to show belief in themselves and their abilities as Banton for the first time in the game put the ball into the Bromsgrove twenty-two. Unfortunately the lineout was lost and Bromsgrove surged out of defence into attack but this new belief and spirit saw Burton’s defence rise to new levels as forwards and backs alike put in tackle after tackle to contain ten minutes of constant opposition pressure. The backrow of Fitchett, Kelvin Browne and Ben Grocott were everywhere while Dutton, Smith, Titley, Dave Archer, Luke Peach and Lawarence Betty were putting in solid tackles at every opportunity. But all this tackling and covering was taking it’s toll on Burton as players injuries began to mount up and Burton lost the services of Craig Dutton soon followed by Rob Wakelin. These were replaced by Ian Gilmour and Tom Murphy, but Matt Tivey, also injured, had to soldier on nursing himself with self help as replacement prop Murphy was already on duty.

Another high kick by Banton saw the receiver fumble the ball and he was quickly pounced upon by Gilmour and Titley and this kept play in the opposition half until the half-time whistle sounded. So despite injury problems Burton had now played for a further twenty minutes without conceding any points.

With it still all to do trailing 28-0, but showing much more passion and pride Burton started the second half at tremendous pace. Edwards took the restart and fed Booth who drove hard into opposition ranks before passing to Fitchett who set up a ruck just over the halfway line. Banton spotted Dave Archer on the narrow side and quickly slipped him the ball for him to dart between two defenders leaving his winger for dead as he raced the forty-metres to the line with only the fullback to beat. He easily sent him one way and then the other before surging passed as he raced over the line to score a well-deserved Burton try that Banton duly converted. With the scoreboard now reading 7-28 Bromsgrove looked worried as the normally reliable Copson failed to put the ball ten-metres from the restart so giving Burton a scrum in centre-field. Winning the ball Burton moved it along the line for Betty to make thirty metres before passing to Smith, but as the little winger raced forward his pass back inside to Betty was adjudged forward. But from the scrum Burton caught the opposition scrum half and more pressure from Edwards, Booth, Browne and Dan Clarke saw Burton make ground for Peach to chip ahead. But as Bromsgrove tried to run the ball out their pass went forward and Burton had a scrum inside their twenty-two, but the ball was lost and Bromsgrove kicked deep into the Burton half to clear. But as the ball sailed into touch Gilmour caught it and returned it with interest as his kick rolled into touch five metres from the opposition line. At this point Tivey, who had been struggling with injury for thirty minutes had to leave the field he was replaced by Will Brooks as Burton’s Mr Reliable Jon Edwards showed his versatility and commitment by stepping up to play prop.

Bromsgrove gradually worked their way down field despite tremendous defence from the whole of the Burton side, but once inside the Burton twenty-two they lost the ball and another Banton kick saw Archer take the ball on the full just inside the touchline. He turned and fed Gilmour who linked with Brooks, Peach and Titley who all made ground before giving the ball to Betty as played move back into the opposition twenty-two. But the ball was lost and Bromsgrove kicked clear only for Archer to gather, but his attempted kick ahead was charged down on the halfway line. This set up another opposition attack that was only stopped by Gilmour racing back to tackle and haul down the marauding opposition No 8 five metres from the line. After a short period of pressure Burton won the ball back and a great drive involving Booth, Browne and Grocott saw the ball fed out to Titley and Betty to kick ahead only for Archer to be just fail to grasp the ball.

The referee’s whistle signalled the end of the game that showed Burton had lost 28-7, but the final sixty minutes of play showed a much more positive 7-0 victory to the Burton side.