This week Burton were a little bit tougher, as if vulcanised, and capitalised on the lead they built up to rediscover their winning ways by defeating Crewe and Nantwich.
In perfect conditions Burton received the Kick Off but were soon on the front foot as Dave Archer kicked 70 metres into the corner. Crewe & Nantwich cleared to the twenty two but a good Burton line out launched a play which saw Crewe & Nantwich knock the ball out of Burton hands. This week Burton were back to their best in the scrummage and their power earned a penalty which Archer narrowly missed. Crewe & Nantwich cleared but progress was halted for Burton by a loose pass upon which the visitors capitalised and advanced to the Burton twenty two before throwing a forward pass.
Burton then worked a score from deep as Josh Cartwright trucked the ball up in centre field before Jack Brooks punched a hole, Dave Archer made ground and then Dewi Williams used Eddie Nicholls as a foil and scored to finish off a great try. Archer pushed the kick wide but Burton had an 8-0 lead nonetheless.
Crewe & Nantwich then rumbled forward and won a penalty which their kicker missed, however before long they opened their account with a smartly taken drop-goal. Joe Briggs retrieved the Kick Off for Burton and Burton probed the defence before being awarded a Penalty. Archer zeroed in on the target this time and returned the lead to five points.
Burton were awarded two penalties in quick succession but a long range shot at goal slipped wide. Crewe & Nantwich then kicked a penalty to the corner but Burton were resolute in defence and cleared their lines. Lewis Sturgess replaced the injured Briggs.
A 30 metre burst from Joe Gazzard and a carry from Loz Betty took Burton close to the try line only for a knock-on to cede the ball to Crewe & Nantwich. Ed Saunders charged down a kick, retrieved the loose ball and barged his way forward and then Williams was stopped five metres out. Burton plied on the pressure through Cartwright and Will Peach before Jack Brooks was stopped illegally seeing Crewe & Nantwich reduced to fourteen men. Moments later Brooks threw a long pass to Archer but the Full–Back was adjudged to knock the ball on as he dived over the line.
Burton applied so much pressure at the scrum that their opponents had to touch the ball down in goal and at the subsequent scrum the Referee awarded a Penalty Try which Archer duly converted.
Play then surged forward and back with Betty producing a fine touch-finder and Tivey then producing a massive hit but Half Time arrived without further score.
A perfectly time fly past from the Vulcan Bomber provided a marvellous spectacle at the interval.
Burton lacked a clinical edge as they produced some good play first through a driving maul and then through Nicholls and Gazzard. Tivey then produced some dazzling foot-work and Burton were awarded a penalty, however Archer‘s kick struck a post. Cartwright charged the clearance down but ball fell into Crewe & Nantwich hands. Archer was soon tearing the defence to ribbons but tripped and spilled the ball near the Try Line.
Burton were clearly the better side but were struggling to make it count on the score-board. Eighteen minutes into the second half Nicholls attacked the blind-side and threaded a pass to Archer who passed to Nick Oxley. The Wing went close but Burton recycled and then Gazzard did very well to link with Francisco Zeleme who crashed over to score. Archer added the extra two points.
Matt Davies replaced Peach and Archer moved to Fly Half with Oxley switching to Full Back. Zeleme w replaced at Prop by Tom Murphy.
Crewe & Nantwich attacked and a deliberate knock-on by Brooks saw him sent to the Sin-Bin. Regardless of the disadvantage Burton defended superbly and Oxley intercepted a pass, ran sixty-five metres and shrugged off the Full Back to earn a Bonus Point with a fourth try. Archer stretched the lead to 29 -3.
Again Burton were forced to defend well with Sturgess lying injured on the floor. A Scrum against the head provided brief respite but a quick penalty saw Burton opened up very easily and the visitors crossed for a try.
Burton retracted into their shell and encouraged by some new found momentum Crewe & Nantwich battered away at the defence before scoring a final converted try.
Burton did enough whilst never blowing their opponents away and moved up to second in the league. Next week a Staffs Cup Semi-Final with a 1.30 pm Kick Off will bring 1st XV action to Peel Croft for a third consecutive game.