With the sun shining on a warm November afternoon Burton produced an eleven try extravaganza for their supporters on their annual Patrons Day to comprehensively destroy their visitors Dunlop and extend their unbeaten run to six games. Dunlop were just no match for this rampant Burton side who looked likely to score every time they got the ball and indeed with a little more application and luck could possibly have posted treble figures on the score board. In this try fest Dave Archer ran in three tries in his personal haul of thirty-three points, while Ian Gilmour and Mark Ovens both scored two with Matt Tivey, Craig Dutton, Darryl Banton and Danny Smith getting one each.

Burton’s Dave Archer kicked-off to start the game and the Dunlop clearance was taken by Luke Peach who kicked the ball back into opposition territory where Dunlop took a quick throw and charged ahead with their large ball carrying forwards. But good work by Josh Cartwright saw him steal the ball and set up Burton’s own powerful forward thrust as he, supported by Kev Birt and Matt Tivey, drove into and over the Dunlop pack. Tivey released the ball to Gilmour who sent out a long pass to Archer, who raced forty metres towards the opposition line before drawing the fullback and passing to Mark Ovens. He ran in for a try and Burton led 5-0 after just two minutes play.

From the restart Dave Fitchett, who had an excellent game throughout with powerful breaks and even harder defensive hits, raced up the pitch supported by the Archer and Gilmour who passed the ball out to Ovens to race in for his second try in as many minutes. Archer’s kick was again off target, even this great start didn’t really give home supporters any idea about what was to follow as Burton once again then conceded a penalty straight from the restart to allow Dunlop onto the score board as their kicker put the ball between the posts.

A minute later as the Burton pack stormed into a ruck an opposition penalty saw Archer find his kicking boots and this was duly converted to restore Burton’s ten point lead at 13-3. The game was all Burton as the pack stormed into rucks and mauls controlling ball and setting up chances for the Burton back line. But the next try was actually scored by a forward as Matt Tivey showed he hadn’t forgotten the years he had spent playing in the centre before converting to his now favoured prop role. From one of these mauls Fitchett again broke clear and passed to Tivey who dummied and weaved his way round bemused defenders as he raced in to score under the posts. Archer added the extra points before also slotting-over another penalty after yet another offence by the opposition to take the score to 23-3 after just twenty-five minutes play.

Dunlop stormed forward towards the Burton line using their large forwards to good effect but Burton’s defence held firm with Nathan Taylor, Kev Birt, Will Brooks and Kelvin Browne putting in some crunching tackles. But Burton broke clear as Peach, Archer, Smith and Lewis Brooks combined to take play back to up field, indeed had the pass between Archer and Smith not judged to have been forward the little winger would have scored under the posts. But from the resulting scrum Dunlop tried to run the ball only to be overwhelmed by Browne and Fitchett and Burton stole the ball for Tivey then Dutton to make ground. Dunlop again gave away a penalty at the ruck and Dutton took a quick tap to race forward before finding Archer in support to take his pass and scamper over the line to touchdown and then convert his own try.

Brooks took the restart and the Burton pack set up a rolling maul before being awarded a scrum just inside the opposition half. A great push saw Darryl Banton break blind to feed Smith and the winger twisted and weave his way round several defenders before racing forty metres to score in the corner to take the score to 35-3 with less than thirty minutes played. Another penalty given away by Dunlop saw Gilmour put the ball into the corner. Taylor’s throw found Browne and the ball spun out along the line to Lewis Brooks who made a half break and popped the ball up to Dutton at his side, who raced in to score under the posts. Archer added the extra points but with only a couple of minutes to the break Burton had not quiet finished. Browne caught the restart and charged forward, twisting and turning out of tackles, before finding Gilmour in support and he gratefully raced forty-five metres for Burton’s seventh try of the half. Archer added the extra points to give his side a 49-3 lead at the break and leave supporter’s mouths watering at the prospect of what was to follow in the next course.

Whether Dunlop started the second half much brighter or Burton relaxed a little too much no one watching will really be sure but the opposition began to keep the ball for longer periods in the next ten minutes and it was Burton defensive qualities that were tested. However, they were seen to be as good as the attacking ones shown in the first half as Dunlop’s heavyweight barrage was stopped in its tracks by tackles from all of the Burton team, with Peach, Fitchett, Taylor, Browne, Birt and Tivey leading the way.

Burton then got back into the groove as from halfway Browne charged forward supported by Taylor, and with ten metres to the line he turned and fed the ball back inside to Banton to race in and score under the posts. Archer’s kick sailed over the bar and Burton led 56-3. Burton again allowed the tempo to drop and Dunlop again began to control play took the ball into the Burton twenty-two. After five or six minutes of pressure on their line Burton cleared to their own ten metre line and took the chance to bring on fresh legs to liven up the game as James Hamilton, Ken Archer and Will Peach replaced Kev Birt, Craig Dutton and Luke Peach. Three scrums on the Dunlop line saw Burton pile pressure on but the ball was lost and the visitors cleared to halfway, but Ovens made a thirty metre break to get back into the opposition half. Dunlop’s clearance found Gilmour who linked with Archer for the latter to show his pace by running in from forty metres out to score in the corner.

A great move started by an Archer break and then involving Taylor and Ovens saw Will Peach feed Gilmour who darted over the ground to score his second try from some twenty metres out. Unfortunately, despite all his practice Archer’s conversion attempt, like the last one, again missed the target.

Undaunted Dunlop pressed forward and as they headed towards the Burton twenty-two Banton received a red card for allegedly striking an opponent in an off the ball incident and Burton now had to play the last eight minutes a man short. Boosted by this man advantage Dunlop drove forward only to be met by ferocious Burton defence from Peach, Browne, Brooks, Fitchett and Ken Archer. A penalty to Burton saw Peach clear to the twenty-two and from the lineout Fitchett broke clear to surge thirty metres up field to inside the visitor’s twenty-two. From here great play by Taylor and Tivey took play forward before Gilmour released Archer for a simply run-in to score Burton’ last and eleventh try before adding the extra two points to take his personal tally to thirty-three points and seal Burton’s victory at 73-3.