But this did not stop another feast of tries from a fine display of open rugby saw Burton again strengthen their hold on top spot of the Midlands I West league and gave them a resounding victory over fourth placed Leamington. Previously, undefeated at home the hosts had no answer to the pace and power as Burton brushed away the opposition with a first half display that produced six tries to give Burton a 36-0 lead before the break.

On a mild, dry afternoon Burton kicked-off up the slope against the breeze and were soon on the attack and a powerful run by John Philliskirk ended as he was tackled into touch on the home twenty-two. Unfortunately a resulting penalty saw Leamington clear the danger with a kick deep into Burton territory. But Burton again attacked and from a solid Burton scrum, good ball was spun across the line to Danny Smith, who outpaced the defence to touch down near the posts. Tom Bartram added the extra points and after ten minutes Burton had a 7-0 lead. Shortly after this Craig Dutton made good ground up the middle to feed Matt Tivey. He found Darryl Banton in support and slipped the ball to him to dive over in the corner to increase Burton’s lead to 12-0.

From the kick-off Rob Wakelin gathered and charged forward with Dominic Taylor in support to take play to the home twenty-two. Leamington cleared this threat and from a line-out on halfway Josh Cartwright caught the ball to feed Banton who spun the ball quickly down the line for Smith to again be on hand to score in the corner. Bartram’s conversion bounced on the cross bar and over to increase Burton’s points to nineteen after just twenty minutes of play. More solid possession from the restart saw Burton’s forwards, with Rich Wilton, Joe Carpenter and Jason Hooper to the fore, powering up field before producing more good ball for the back line and it sped out to Tivey who crashed over in the corner for another Burton try.

Things got even blacker for the home side when their restart sailed straight into touch and Burton had a scrum on halfway in centre field. Dutton picked up and drove forward, but a penalty to Leamington stopped a promising move. Then Philliskirk kicked high and deep into the opposition twenty-two only for another penalty against Burton to help the hosts relieve the threat. Philliskirk then burst through midfield, but poor handling gave Leamington a scrum and they cleared to halfway.

With Leamington struggling to cope with Burton’s vastly superior pace and power Burton were continually on the front foot and throwing the ball around with gay abandon. However, at times this fluid play was possibly a little too frantic and a more settled and structured approach may have scored more points. Another Burton attack saw Tivey get his second try and with Bartram again getting full exposure to practise his kicking he added the extra points. Home fans were praying for the break to arrive to stop this continual Burton onslaught but the Burton team had other ideas and with just a minute remaining of the first half another powerful Burton scrum produced more ball. Banton broke down the blind to feed Tivey who was stopped just short of the home twenty-two and with Leamington over eager for possession they were penalised. A kick gave Burton a five-metre line-out Dan Eastwood took the ball to start a catch and drive that saw Dutton muscle his way over for a try to take Burton’s lead to 36-0 at the break.

The second half started in much the same way the first had ended with Banton breaking clear to feed Tivey, but this time Tivey made ground and passed outside to the looping Banton who raced round to score under the posts for Bartram to again convert. Bartram then had a score disallowed by a referee who had started to appear to be trying to level up proceedings. But with Carpenter catching the drop-out he fed Ian Gilmour and a neat little chip by the latter was gathered by Taylor who crashed over in the corner to take Burton’s lead to 48-0 with only fifteen minutes of the half gone.

Injuries to Dan Eastwood and Matt Tivey saw Chris Atchison and Steve Cramp enter the fray from the bench, but none of this appeared to disrupt Burton’s continuing advances. Indeed a great take by Atchison at a line-out gave Burton the chance to spin the ball out wide where Cramp raced into the home twenty-two before being bundled into touch. Philliskirk again broke through midfield, but a penalty against Burton for holding on saw the hosts clear the danger. A spell of poor handling by the hitherto impeccable Burton three-quarters saw chances being lost but a line-out on the opposition twenty-two saw Carpenter race clear to score Burton’s final points.

At 53-0 some poor Burton decision making that was assisted by some dubious refereeing decisions began to let Leamington back into the game and whilst the Burton line was never being continually threatened Leamington did manage to produce a score. A penalty saw Leamington kick deep for a five-metre line-out, which was won by the home side, and they fed the ball out to their winger who just crept in to score in the corner. From the restart Burton again attack and nearly got another score but Bartram’s pass to Paupe was adjudged forward by the referee and so the game ended at 53-5 to send out a clear and resounding message to Burton’s rivals that they are the team that have to be beaten.