With some last minute changes in the front-row and injuries to Ian Gilmour following a car accident again not helping Burton’s preparations they travelled to Delves Road to play Walsall for their opening Midlands I (West) game of 2013 and came away empty-handed after a game that saw them sandwich a poor start and end to the game with a spell during which they put together some good play. During the initial poor start Burton’s opposite numbers ran up a twenty point lead but Burton then fought back to 23-19 only to undo all this good work with a disastrous ending that saw them concede twenty-one points.

Burton kicked off on a heavy but largely dry surface, however both teams knocked on before Walsall kicked into the Burton twenty-two when Burton conceded the first try. Walsall secured the lineout, probed the defence in centre-field and spun the ball back to the left wing where their winger Greenslade touched down. The conversion kick was off target bit the hosts were in the lead after just 3 minutes.

Tom Murphy and Jason Knight halted two subsequent Walsall attacks with thumping tackles, before the Walsall fullback retrieved his own up and under for Burton to concede a penalty and were marched back 10 metres after voicing their dissent. Walsall’s Wood kicked the penalty to extend the host’s lead to eight points. Walsall kept Burton on the back foot with their kicking tactics and Sam Smith was kept very busy making some very good catches and marks as Walsall kicked for territory whenever the chance was available. A further penalty and kick for touch set the Walsall pack up to catch and drive for a further unconverted try on the quarter of an hour mark.

At last Burton began to get into the game with carries from Sam Smith, Jono Edwards, Josh Cartwright and Kieran Hawketts, However, they were out of sorts in both the scrummage and lineout, gaining less than fifty percent of their own ball, which meant they could not gain any lasting, momentum. Walsall again pushed up field and after disrupting a Burton scrummage under the posts, their No 8 Simpson barged over to score and the conversion established a comfortable 20-0 lead.

Burton retrieved their own re-start before Murphy and Edwards crashed forward. Darryl Banton dummied a pass to his backs before cutting back through the traffic to cross for a try which he then converted. With the score 20-7 after half an hour Burton were finally on the scoreboard. Both sides weathered some pressure before the break as play swung from end to end. Burton flankers Keifer Laxton and Joel Briggs clashed heads while stopping the same attacker and a dazed Briggs was replaced by Steve Cross. But Burton conceded yet another penalty and Wood’s successful kick made the half-time score-line 23-7.

Edwards fielded the kick off and fed Ken Archer who took several defenders with him to set up a ruck. From quick ball Lewis Brooks sped through a gap in the centre, crossing half way before side stepping the fullback and touching down for Banton to make the conversion. Cartwright was hoisted by Murphy and Knight to take the re-start before Luke Peach boomed a kick back into the Walsall half. Good pressure from Burton kept the hosts pinned back. Then Steve Cross took a lineout at the tail and a sniping run from Danny Smith saw him well, supported by Hawketts who established quick ball for Peach. His perfect little grubber kicked ended in space and then when following up calmly side-footed the ball into the path of left-wing Tom Cooper who took his opportunity to pick-up and race in to score. Although Banton’s conversion attempt narrowly missed its target Burton looked a good bet trailing 23-19, and having been dominant since the break.

Burton rang the changes and Laxton was replaced by debutant Ali Weedon and Lawrence Betty, now fully fit following injury, came on to replace Brooks as Burton looked for a crucial score. But Walsall had other thoughts and had a great opportunity on a large open-side with men over against Burton forwards but squandered it with a forward pass.

Burton put together several multi-phase attacks but lacked real penetration as the committed home defence bottled them up. The commitment of both teams saw the game punctuated by several stoppages for injury. But with both sides battling for control and only 15 minutes left on the clock it was Walsall who gained supremacy. After a driving lineout they won a scrum and drove the scrummage forward and Simpson crossed for a telling score and the conversion that stretched their lead to eleven points.

Once again Burton secured the re-start but a knock-on halted the attack and Walsall relieved the pressure and kicked back into the Burton half. An injury to Hawketts saw Laxton return to replace him forcing the versatile Edwards to move forward to play prop. Walsall sealed victory with a well executed cross-kick to the right winger who slipped the ball back in-field to Weaver who scored under the sticks. Wood converted this try before a final attack from a weary looking Burton broke down and Walsall opened up the field to score the best try of game and the conversion made the score 44-19 to the hosts, who had scored 19 unanswered points in the dismal, closing 10 minutes spell that saw some of Burton’s players bickering amongst themselves rather than just getting on with the game and trying to salvage some pride.