After surprisingly getting a draw at Peel Croft back in October this Saturday Whitchurch proceeded to add more misery to Burton’s recent dismal run of defeats by coming away from this fixture with a 17-14 victory over a much, changed and injury riddled Burton side. The late withdrawal of Matt Tivey (stomach bug) added to Burton’s growing injury list that already contained Lawrence Betty (knee), Ian Gilmour (thigh) and ‘Spud’ Taylor (hand) and coupled with the unavailability of Dan Campbell and Simon Bradley led to many changes having to be made in the Burton ranks, but even these could not really be used as excuses for yet another below par performance that resulted in Burton’s second successive defeat in this three away fixture run. Throughout the game Burton were always under pressure and despite some of the numerous poor decisions going against them they had only themselves to blame for the defeat thanks to a combination of some poor kicks, weak tackling and wrong options being taken during the match.

With barely four minutes on the clock Whitchurch’s fly-half took full advantage of some slack defending in Burton’s ranks and made maximum use of a big overlap to race in for a try in the corner for his side to take a 5-0 lead. This try appeared to give the home side confidence as they poured forward to put pressure on the Burton line, but stout defending by Craig Dutton, Jon Edwards, Dave Fitchett and Ben Peach kept the Burton line intact and eventually a Burton scrum allowed Luke Peach to safely clear the ball to halfway. From the lineout Josh Cartwright stole the ball and as Burton’s pack drove forward the referee spotted Whitchurch trying to collapse the maul and awarded Burton a penalty. Unfortunately from forty-five metres out Dave Archer’s kick just sailed passed the wrong side of the upright and Burton faced a twenty-two drop-out instead of one from the centre spot.

It was now Burton’s chance to test the opposition defence and good runs by Archer and Danny Smith allowed the Burton pack to show its support as play stayed inside the home twenty-two. After some ten minutes of the pressure some great inter passing by Burton saw Lewis Brooks eventually feed Luke Peach, who crossed over the line in the corner but then ran infield fifteen metres before touching down for a try to give Archer a better chance with his conversion attempt. Archer duly accepted the easier kick and Burton now led 5-7 after thirty minutes play.

This score stirred the home pack and they attacked the restart to drive play towards the Burton line, but the Burton pack fought back with Nathan Taylor, James Hamilton and the back row all hitting rucks and mauls at pace to slow any opposition possession. Having stalled these home attacks Luke Peach kicked to move the game towards halfway, but his kick sailed into the grateful arms of his opposite number who showed no hesitation in racing through to score his side’s second unconverted try in the corner and so give his side a halftime lead of 10-7.

For the first ten minutes of the second half the ball swayed from end to end as both sides tried to gain control before the opposition threw the ball out wide from a lineout and their centre raced forward and after breaking Will Peach’s attempted tackle scored near the posts for his kicker to add the extra points and put Whitchurch into a solid 17-7 lead with thirty minutes to play.

Burton now had it all to do and rang the changes with Karl English coming in on the wing, as Archer moved to the centre and Will Peach was replaced. This inspirational switch certainly appeared to have worked as Burton swarmed forward with backs and forwards alike making ground before Dutton broke clear and fed Taylor. He raced towards the opposition line using both skill and power to burst through tackles before crashing over the line under the posts for an excellent score. Archer’s conversion sailed high over the bat to put Burton within three points of the home side at 17-14.
Burton now went all out for victory bringing on fresh legs to assist their efforts with flanker Chris Atchison replacing Edwards and debutant Adam Brookes coming on for Hamilton at prop as the Burton pack pressurised the home line. One such piece of pressure saw Burton drive the opposition back over their line, but unfortunately as the opposition collapsed the scrum the referee disallowed the Burton score.

With Burton looking for a score they decided to run a penalty from some thirty metres out when Archer’s trusty boot may well have given them the three points for a draw. Unfortunately, despite other ground making breaks by Brooks, Smith, Archer, Dutton and Fitchett this option was the last and possibly the best they had to get a result.

So the game ended with Burton losing 17-14 and getting a solitary bonus point and with Burton’s supporters, selectors and players all hoping that the squad can soon get back to being injury free and turning their form round to winning ways.