Once again a last minute change in the front-row due to injury to one of the youngsters, Kiaran Hawketts, who had made a big impact since his first team debut saw Jason Knight move from the back row to take over the hooking duties and this saw Ed Henry come onto the bench with Joe Briggs moving up to start in the back row. But the Burton squad were still confident after an earlier season destruction of the opposition (19-65 at their own ground they would be well able to start their new year on the Croft with a good, solid victory to delight home supporters.

Dave Archer kicked off for Burton putting the ball into the Barkers Butts’ twenty two. The visitors cleared to half way but fullback Sam Smith kept the ball in play and made a searing diagonal break from the left wing. Smith straightened his run to set up a two on one with the last defender and put Danny Smith in to open the scoring. Darryl Banton converted and Burton led 7-0 with a minute played.

From the re-start the Butts backs produced a clever move releasing their sizeable left winger who kicked forward and gave Sam Smith an awkward ball to deal as it bobbled over the try line. Smith took the ball into touch but importantly stopped a score. Kelvin Browne turned over at the next breakdown and Burton were able to move play up field with storming carries from Charl Neethling, Ken Archer and Jason Knight powering Burton into the opposition twenty two. The Burton half backs, Luke Peach and Banton, moved the ball quickly to Lewis Brooks who side-stepped through the midfield to score under the posts for Banton to slot the kick between the uprights, and take the score to 14-0 with less than ten minutes played.

Barkers Butts pressed forward after the re-start and enjoyed good territory for five minutes before Archer intercepted a long pass and then released Tom Cooper to fly up his left wing, but the youngster was bundled into touch just five meters short. The visitors chose to run the ball but Jono Edwards snaffled an interception and saw that an overlap was on the cards. He quickly moved the ball on to Brooks and Archer who took the ball on before Danny Smith went over in the corner. Archer stepped up for the long kick but his effort slipped wide. The Burton scrummage was solid and the lineout, after a shaky start, functioned well with Josh Cartwright and Joel Briggs taking their own ball and numerous steals from each. Barkers Butts posed a threat with their backs but Burton were able to contain them with some good defensive organisation.

From broken play in midfield Nathan Taylor gathered a loose ball and crashed it up before off-loading to Briggs who scampered over from the twenty two to seal a try and an early bonus point. Banton resumed kicking duties and was on bang on target with the conversion effort to take the score to 26-0.

Once again Butts pressed forward however they conceded a penalty under the Burton posts. A quick tap saw Archer burst out of the twenty two and flew over half way with two defenders covering him. Weaving left and right it looked as Archer had the upper hand but he tripped ten meters short and the defenders retrieved the ball and were able to kick and clear their lines. The visitors got some reward with a well worked try creating an overlap for Matt Knight on the right wing. The conversion rebounded off the post leaving the score at 26-5 and six minutes of the half left. But with the whistle imminent Browne and Neethling made powerful carries before the backs were brought into action. Brooks glided outside the centres and used Danny Smith on the right wing. Smith jinked infield, stood-up the last defender before finding Jason Knight in support. The hooker crossed the line and took the ball round under the posts to score and Banton was again on target to make it 33-5 at the break.

During the break Lawrence Betty replaced Cooper with Brooks moving to the wing to accommodate the big centre. But from the kick-off Burton carried on from where they had left off and a sweeping move provided Danny Smith the ball on the opposition 10 metre line. Smith feigned to go inside and then with the minimum of space took his man on the outside to then race clear for a glorious try to crown his hat-trick, but Banton’s kick narrowly missed.

Burton were now in total control and very soon Browne, Edwards, Taylor and Briggs all made ground to take play into the Butts twenty two. From a ruck, Luke Peach found Brooks running off him and Brooks then popped the ball to Briggs who crossed for his second try of the day that saw Banton make his fifth conversion.

Burton rang more changes with Ali Weedon and Ed Henry replacing Edwards and Briggs in the back row, but sensing a very heavy loss Barkers Butts stepped up their intensity and prevented Burton from dominating as they had previously been doing. The net effect of this was for the penalty count to escalate and the flow of the game stop.

Just as Burton were pressing in the right corner one of many penalties for holding on was quickly tapped and fed out by Barkers’ to their winger Knight who finished off a fine move with a try despite Archer’s tackle in the corner. Buoyed by this Butts were next to score after a driving line-out took them close to the Burton line and they got themselves a penalty The first pick and go was repelled but the second one couldn’t be stopped and so the opposition got another try, but the conversion sailed wide.

From the restart Butts pressed forward again but Browne stole the ball to set up a Burton counter attack that was called back for a forward pass. The closing stages saw an extended arm wrestle in the Burton twenty two, but the home defence held firm and the 45-15 score-line stood firm until the whistle to give Burton the victory they wanted to put their season back on track.