Looking to make it three straight wins Burton’s Dave Archer kicked-off to start the game against Walsall on a beautiful sunny afternoon and five minutes of aimless kicking by both sides followed as play hovered around the halfway line. But then Darryl Banton kicked high and Burton’s forwards stormed forward for Kelvin Browne to gather the ball and it was quickly recycled out to Luke Peach who passed back inside to Jon Edwards to make twenty metres. Again the Burton pack were quickly in support to recycle the ball and it was spun out to Archer, who made a half break to pass to Ian Gilmour. He took the ball on before giving it to Lewis Brooks who raced thirty metres to touch down for Burton’s first points. Banton converted and Burton led 7-0.

But Burton had more to come as a poor Walsall clearance was gathered by skipper Josh Cartwright who burst forward for fifteen metres with Browne and Nathan Taylor in support. The latter charged forward to set up a ruck five metres short of the visitor’s line and good quick ball saw Banton scamper over for a try that he then converted increasing Burton’s lead to 14-0 after just seven minutes play.

A Burton error at the restart saw Walsall awarded the first of many penalties and their kicker duly took the three points on offer to take the score to 14-3. Walsall attacked the restart but a knock-on stopped their progress and Ed Henry was quickly down on the ball to start another Burton attack. Banton spun the ball out to Gilmour who broke the defence with a forty metre run and when faced with the opposition fullback he passed inside to Matt Davies who passed to Luke Peach to touch down under the posts for Burton third try. Banton converted this and Burton now led 21-3 with less than fifteen minutes played.

Despite the score line Walsall still looked dangerous as they continued to attack with forward drive round the edges of rucks and mauls and this pressure eventually told as their hooker drove over for a converted try. They added to this when their kicker again landed another penalty goal to take the score to 21-13. Given this points boost Walsall now pressurised even more, but the home defence held firm as the visitors drove forward and kicked for position taking advantage of the good ball retention and powerful forwards. However, one poor kick by Walsall was gathered by Cartwright and he pass to Gilmour, who linked with Archer for the latter to break the line and feed Davies who went over for a try near the corner and increase Burton’s lead to 26-13.

But the visitors would not die as from the restart they stormed back onto the attack to force a lineout five metres from the Burton line. As usual Burton’s lineout work was poor and they lost the ball and the Walsall second row powered his way over for an unconverted try.

Now in injury time Burton surged back on the attack but a yellow card for Jon Edwards after Burton had been penalised several times stopped their efforts and Walsall drove back up field where more penalties against Burton followed. One of these was taken quickly and the alert Walsall player was rewarded with a try to take the score to 26-23. With injury time continuing Burton battled up field as they at last won a clean lineout with Browne taking the ball at the back. Banton made a half break and Archer picked the ball off his toes to feed Brooks, who raced through the defence before passing back inside to Danny Campbell who went over under the posts for Banton to convert and put the halftime score at 33-23.

The second half saw Walsall start on the attack and after yet another penalty against Burton they kicked into the corner to take the lineout and drive over for a try. But from the restart Walsall were, at last, penalised for going off their feet and Banton stepped up to put the ball between the uprights.

A period of scrappy play by both sides followed with aimless kicks and poor handling as the game became forward orientated, but Walsall’s better ball retention gave them a territorial advantage until Burton found a new spark as they again started to move the ball out wide. From one of these expansive pieces of play Brooks again broke through the opposition ranks to race forty metres to touch down and take the final score to 41-28 to give Burton a third deserved win in a row.