They started the game well, immediately making ground and putting the home team on the defensive. After a good break by full back Dave Archer he passed to winger Lewis Brooks who was stopped on the 5 metre line. The ball was recycled to number eight Will Roach who charged to the try line only for the ball to be held up. Newport cleared the ball but the Burton forwards and backs combined to get the ball to Brooks on the wing who this time ran in to score. Archer kicked the conversion to make the score 0-7 after ten minutes.

From the kick off the visitors went on the attack again and after more good work by the forwards the ball found its way to Brooks. This time he chipped the ball over the last defender and collected it himself to score his second try. Archer again added the two extra points to make the score after fifteen minutes 0-14

Burton were in control at this stage but then made a mistake which let the opposition back into the game. A poor pass bounced off centre Loz Betty’s shoulder and was hacked up field by the Newport centre who kicked the ball along the ground again to dive on it and open the scoring for the home team. The conversion was missed.

Newport were now getting into their stride started to put pressure on the visitors’ defence. A missed tackle in the centre enabled the Newport centre to crash through and score under the posts. The try was converted.

Burton were then awarded a penalty on the half way line. A valiant attempt by Archer to kick the goal fell just short. Newport were able to work their way back into the Burton 22 where they were awarded a penalty as a Burton defender failed to roll away after a tackle . A quick tap was taken and the ball was passed to the Newport centre to score another try which was converted on the stroke of half time to take the home team into the lead at 19-14.

From the restart Burton took the initiative again and got into the Newport half and were awarded a penalty from the ensuing lineout the ball was passed quickly along the back line to substitute winger Malcolm Theo who made a wonderful side step to beat his man and score close to the posts. Archer added the two extra points to put the visitors back into the lead at 19-21

Newport now showed why they are at the top of the table and they kept pounding at the visitors’ defence. Burton tackled well however and despite one of the forwards being sent to the sin bin, for a period which turned out to be more like fifteen minutes than ten, they managed to hang on to the lead. All the tackling had taken its toll however and close to the end of the game they could not prevent the Newport forwards from driving over the line to retake the lead. The conversion was added. From the restart Burton tried to keep the ball and work towards the try line however time ran out on them and from a scrum the Newport scrum half was able to kick the ball out to end the game.

This was a very good game between two well matched sides. A disappointing result for Burton but at least they got a losing bonus point. They remain in third place in the league behind Newport and Bournville.