Dry conditions greeted Burton upon arrival in Stratford. The home side kicked off with the wind at their backs. Burton retained possession through several phases but Full Back Tom Benjamin was lying prone on the floor when Stratford turned over and their Fly Half kicked into the space. The ball bounced horribly for Burton and Stratford touched down. The conversion was successful.
Burton again played through phases but were stuck in their own half. When Stratford gained possession they kicked to within 15m of the Burton line. Burton escaped and Ed Henry made a song run to half way. Burton were turned over again but were awarded a penalty. Harry Titley kicked for touch but the wind took ten metres off the distance.
Possession was changing hands regularly. Dewi Williams and Joe Gazzard made carried but Burton were a little bit lateral otherwise. The Burton pack surged forward at a scrum in the opposition half but conceded a penalty and Stratford used the wind to kick to touch in the Burton twenty two. Liam Hucknall, on his return from injury, gathered an over-throw but again possession was conceded and Stratford worked the ball slickly out to their Right Winger who scored out wide. The kick was missed.
Alex Gale also back from injury made a storming carry and the momentum allowed Jack Brooks and Pancho Zeleme to make yards. Play was halted for an injury to the home Tight Head who was stretchered from the field. The Burton pack trundled 15 metres from the set-piece and Williams hit a good line in midfield but the support was lacking at the breakdown and the ball was lost. Burton were pinned back again but Titley and Elliot Grant were able to combine and make it beyond half way. This gain was short-lived and Stratford attacked before Burton were awarded the put-in, only for it be wheeled and the put-in reversed. Eddie Nicholls got his hands on the ball and then Brooks, Jack Hany, James Davies, Hucknall and Jack Neale produced one of the moves of the season only for a pass to go forward five metres out. The Burton pack shoved the opposition off their own ball and Gazzard pounced to score. The kick was unsuccessful.
From the re-start Burton played back into the Stratford half but lost possession and the home side couture-attacked rapidly and after three passes were in for a score which was neatly converted. It seemed that Burton’s hard work in getting into the game had been undone, however in the last play of the half Titley produced some individual brilliance and weaved through for a try which he then converted. Trailing 12-19 with the advantage of the wind still to come seemed like a good position for Burton to be in.
. Tom Murphy replaced Gale.
The influential Stratford No 8 made an early turnover but met his match when Gazzard choke tackled him. Burton were awarded a penalty and whilst the touch was missed the Burton threes chased well and Brooks was able to intercept a pass and cross for a score in the corner. The kick slid wide but it was now a two-point game.
Murphy made s great run to half way after the kick off but as Burton looked to send the ball wide a pass stalled in the wind and it was Stratford’s turn to intercept and score. The conversion was straightforward.
Ed Henry had a knock on the calf and was replaced by Jeri Oldfield, with Gazzard going to Lock. Gale was rotated with Zeleme and Craig Dutton came on for Hucknall. Dutton and Oldfield were soon making good carries. A fifteen metre drive from a line-out took Burton into the Stratford twenty two but thy without a score. Hucknall was rotated with Neale.
There was a scrappy period of play which ended with a yellow card for Hucknall. Stratford kicked for the corner but Gazzard got a finger-tip to the line-out and Handy launched a monster clearance and his opposing wing touched on the ball on its way from the pitch inside the home twenty two. Dutton turned over and Burton attacked. Oldfield was bundling forward in front of the posts when he was almost scalped by a high tackle but manged to get the ball away. The attack floundered but the Referee took play for a knock-on rather than call the high tackle.
Stratford were next to attack but Brooks seized on a loose ball and Dutton stormed deep into the twenty two. Burton recycled and the ball was shipped out to Grant who crossed for a bonus point try. Titley converted and the margin was again two-points.
The last five minutes was frantic with Stratford pressing for another score and Burton trying to get out of their own twenty two. The game ended with the score 26-24 to Stratford. The consolation for Burton was two bonus points. At the half mark in the season Stratford back on top and Burton in fifth bit with only five points separating them.