With squad resources already stretched by a growing injury list a warm-up injury (Thigh) to prop Simon Bradley saw Burton Coach Steve Smith frantically searching every nook and cranny at Peel Croft looking for a registered player to fill the gap left on the first team bench. Fortunately, Gavin Worth had seen fit to make use of the cancelled A XV game by doing a session at the Club weight room and so he was rapidly called into action to compliment the numbers. This late change saw Burton bringing Steve Cross onto the back row and then having to reshuffle its front row with youngsters Nathan Taylor, Jason Knight and Kieran Hawketts (average age 19) having to face a much older, experienced and far heavier Ludlow front three. But assisted by the rest of the pack what a great job they did driving back the opposition time and again in set-pieces and loose play as the team powered towards a solid victory scoring five tries in the process.

After making poor starts in their last two games Burton got off to a real flyer when a Ludlow player was penalised for holding on in the first minute and Daryl Banton took the points on offer with his first attempt at goal. After Ludlow’s first attack was thwarted by a Ken Archer tackle Burton pressed ahead but the move stalled when they threw a forward pass. Burton took the first scrum against the head and after three phases Banton jinked through to touch down before adding the conversion and making it 10-0.

Burton continued to press and on the quarter of an hour mark Ian Gilmour passed back in from his wing to Sam Smith who went over for try. Once again Banton calmly stroked the kick over to add the extra points.

The first of several quiet spells followed before Burton conceded a penalty and the Ludlow kicker drilled the ball over to register their first points. Burton bounced back quickly earning a 5 metre scrum before Sam Smith picked the ball up from around his ankles and bundled his would be tackler over the line before touching down. Banton again made the conversion look easy. Ludlow enjoyed some good territory for a spell but missed a penalty before choosing a scrum when Burton infringed again. However Burton took the ball against the head and Banton kicked back to half way. Ludlow mad the last attacks of the half and desperate tackles from Cross and Josh Cartwright held off two attempts to score, but the huge opposition tight-head couldn’t be stopped and his try was followed by the conversion and made the score 24-10 at the break.

During the half-time James Davies replaced Gilmour to make his debut and a fit again Lewis Brooks replaced Tom Cooper. But an early Ludlow penalty took the gap to nine points just moments later Burton got into their pattern and Luke Peach slipped the ball to Jon Parkinson who galloped clear to score under the posts. Banton converted before the game entered another quiet spell. After a fracas the lady referee sent Jono Edwards and the Ludlow open-side into the sin-bin for ten minutes. The crowd were on their feet soon after when Nathan Taylor took the ball from a Ludlow player on their 10 metres line to score under the posts. Banton made it 35-13 with the conversion.

Gavin Worth refreshed from his gym work-out entered the fray when he replaced Davies and soon got into the game with a thirty meter break. But Ludlow didn’t lie down and were on the attack again to take next score but were unable to convert. Brooks, Danny Campbell and Danny Smith began to test the visitors defence but it held firm and then piled on the pressure in the Burton 22. After a string of penalties Parkinson received a yellow card and Ludlow were on the score-sheet with a try in the right hand corner. Burton used some rolling substitutes with Banton taking a break after scoring 18 points. From a lineout Burton lineout which appeared to have gone awry, Taylor secured the ball the pack drove him forward before Campbell now at scrum half spun the ball out to Luke Peach threw out an enormous pass to Cooper on the right wing who went over in the corner for his maiden try. The kick from Sam Smith slipped past the post and the referee blew for full time with Burton taking five points from a 43-23 victory that was solid if not spectacular.