In between John Philliskirk scoring a try inside the first minute and finishing with Tom Bartram’s final minute conversion Burton could well have scored even more points had it not been for spells within the game that saw them lose some of their direction and teamwork.
But the emphatic victory left home supporters well pleased with their team’s efforts and eagerly looking forward to more of the same in future games.
Solihull kicked-off and the Burton pack soon showed their intent as they powered forward towards the visitor’s line that produced a Burton scrum on the Solihull ten-metre line. Craig Dutton picked-up from the base and fed Darryl Banton, who made ground before slipping the ball inside to Simon Spencer. He set up a maul and Banton spun the ball out to Ian Gilmour, whose long pass found Lawrence Betty racing for the line. With only the fullback to beat he drew his man and fed John Philliskirk who raced round to score under the posts. Tom Bartram converted and Burton led 7-0 with barely a minute on the clock.
Burton continued to pile on the pressure with Josh Cartwright and Dan Eastwood monopolising the line-outs and solid scrummaging ensuring a plentiful supply of ball. With Burton moving this ball out wide to good advantage Danny Smith made ground down the touchline before a move involving Gilmour, Banton, Bartram, Betty, Dutton, Rich Wilton and Joe Carpenter saw Philliskirk burst through the defence to score his second try in as many minutes. Then another home attack saw Philliskirk again break clear but he was stopped a few metres short of the line and from the resulting scrum Dutton picked-up and crashed over for the first try of his afternoon’s hat trick. Bartram’s trusty boot was again on target as the Burton lead increased to 19-0 after just seven minutes.
At last Solihull won some ball and after a five-minute period of pressure on the Burton line Banton eventually cleared the ball up field. Another clearance kick from Gilmour was returned by Solihull into the welcoming arms of Gavin Cole, who immediately linked with Banton and yet again Philliskirk was in support to scorch through the opposition cover and race fifty-metres forward. He linked with Wilton, who made ground before passing back to Philliskirk, who had looped round behind him. With the line only feet away and fearing the cost of his ‘hat trick jug’ Philliskirk quickly off loaded to the supporting Dutton who crashed over in the corner for his second try of the day.
The next fifteen-minutes saw Burton loose their way a little as players tried to force play up the middle rather spinning it out wide and letting the ball do the work and this played into the hands of Solihull as their forwards started to gain some ball. Fortunately Burton’s defence was solid and despite being camped inside their own twenty-two Solihull were unable to cross the Burton line. A break out by Dutton, Banton and Smith eventually relieved the pressure and Burton moved back into opposition territory with Smith only just missing a try. From the drop-out Carpenter, showing neat footwork, raced down the touchline to feed Smith. He linked with Cole, but the latter’s pass to the galloping Philliskirk went behind him and a chance was lost.
A great take by Cartwright saw the Burton pack surged towards the Solihull line and Spencer emerged to charge forward but he was stopped just short. But a second surge involving Rob Wakelin, Carl Neethling and Dutton saw the ball carried even closer before Dutton eventually took the ball and crashed over to score and complete a first-half hat trick. Bartram’s kick sailed between the uprights to give Burton a 31-0 lead after just twenty-five minutes.
Another spell of over elaboration and trying to force the play again slowed Burton’s scoring rate, but after the Burton pack had tired of keeping the ball close the ball was released. This saw a move involving Gilmour and Bartram for the latter to dive over for a try near the posts that he also converted. Burton now went into the break comfortably leading 38-0.
Matt Tivey replaced Cole during the break due to a foot injury and Burton started the second half full of pace and Gilmour, Smith and Tivey all got close to crossing the line. Then a break by Banton saw him feed Bartram, who twisted out of a tackle and raced in to score a try that he again converted.
A chip over the advancing defence by Gilmour was charged down but Spencer was on hand to recover the ball and with Carpenter in support they drove the ball forward before setting up a maul that gave the ball to Banton. He fed Gilmour, who in turn passed to Betty and with Tivey in support outside him he cleverly dummied the full back before racing sixty-metres to score in the corner. From the restart a great take by Neethling saw him, Carpenter and Spencer take play back to the half-way line. Good, quick ball from the maul saw Banton, Gilmour and Bartram spin the ball out to Betty who again rounded the defence and raced fifty-metres to score under the posts. Bartram added the extra points and Burton now led by fifty-seven points with only six minutes of the half gone.
Unfortunately this again marked the start of another spell of Burton’s over elaboration, selfishness and poorer play that allowed Solihull back into the game and it was only the quality and tenacity of Burton’s defence that kept their line intact as the visiting team pressed the home line.
With barely five minutes remaining Burton’s Danny Smith again got his team back on the attack as he raced fifty-metres up the touch to the half-way line. Philliskirk and Betty took up the attack but a pass to Tivey on the wing fell behind him and a chance was lost. A penalty to Burton on half-way saw Bartram take a quick tap and feed Smith, who twisted and turned passed several defenders before racing towards the line. The visiting fullback stopped him but not before he had managed to slip the ball to the ever-supporting Spencer who dived over the line to at last add more points to Burton’s tally and take the score to 62-0.
In the closing minutes Burton continued to power forward and an attempted clearance by Solihull again saw Carpenter gather to start a move involving practically the whole Burton team. Eventually the ball found its way to Betty and Tivey on the right touchline and with Tivey stopped Betty took the ball on to feed Banton who darted in for the final try of the match. Bartram’s kick sailed through the posts and Burton had completed a convincing 69-0 victory over the luckless and pointless Solihull team.