Burton took to the field on Peel Croft on a bright, sunny afternoon to play second in the table Bournville hoping to reverse the earlier defeat at their hands and get back to winning ways. But it was not to be as Burton were again out thought and played by a much, more streetwise side that wasted no opportunity to use their greater experience and guile to exploit what at times can only be described as Burton’s erratic and kamikaze play. Throughout the game Burton were guilty of kicking away far too much important possession and slow or poor decision-making.

Burton kicked-off and soon appeared to have the measure of the visitors as they piled forward towards their line, but Bournville survived this early pressure and it was soon deep clearing kicks by Tom Bartram and John Philliskirk that cleared Burton lines. A break by Ian Gilmour saw Burton awarded an early penalty on the visitors ten-metres line in front of the posts but Bartram’s kick sailed just wide. From the resulting drop out Josh Cartwright charged down a kick and raced forward supported by Joe Carpenter and Bartram just failed to get the touchdown as Bournville kicked over the dead ball line.

A penalty against Burton saw Bournville clear to the Burton ten-metre line but as they attack Craig Dutton managed to turnover possession on his own twenty-two. From this Darryl Banton fed Gilmour who passed to Lawrence Betty. He slipped the ball to the rapidly advancing Philliskirk and he raced down the touchline before passing to Gavin Cole. With only one man to beat he unfortunately slipped as he rounded the fullback and Burton were awarded another penalty on the opposition twenty-two. Bartram’s attempt again just missed the uprights and the game still had no score.

Encouraged by these two misses Bournville stormed forward and only a crunching tackle by Philliskirk stopped certain try as their centre burst through from midfield.
Burton countered and Cole broke clear to feed Philliskirk but the fullback’s kick ahead lacked direction and was safely gathered by his opposite number who returned it into the Burton twenty-two. Banton gathered and kicked clear to the Burton ten. Dan Eastwood stole the resulting lineout and as Gilmour broke clear his pass to Betty was adjudged forward and play was brought back as the big centre was racing up the field. Then a blindside break by Banton set up Gilmour and Dutton to interpass before Banton kicked ahead and just miss the touchdown as Bournville won the chase to the ball.

With minutes remaining in the firsthalf Bournville again attacked but with Carpenter, Cole and Betty all defending with great tackles this came to nothing and Burton broke clear. Banton raced up field supported by Cole, Gilmour and Betty and when the latter was tackled Burton were awarded a penalty in front of the posts on the opposition twenty-two. Bartram stepped up and made no mistake with this kick to give his side a narrow 3-0 lead. From the restart Dutton drove forward supported by the rest of the Burton pack as they took play to the visitor’s twenty-two. But as the ball was spun along the Burton line Philliskirk dropped it and Bournville hacked clear to the home ten-metre line. As the visitors attacked Burton were penalised for not rolling away and their kicker quickly stepped forward to attempt to level the scores, but as his kick fell short the halftime whistle sounded.

From the Bournville kick-off Burton surged forward and as Gilmour made a break he was poleaxed by the opposition centre who them feigned injury hopefully caused by the head of Burton’s diminutive outhalf. His play-acting did not fool either spectators or the referee and from the ensuing penalty Dave Archer’s kick fell just short of the bar. An ankle injury to Carpenter saw Jon Edwards enter the fray just as Burton were penalised at a ruck for handling and their kicker made no mistake as his attempt at goal sailed over the bar to level the scores at 3-3.

Burton surged back onto the attack but again possession was wasted as players kicked poorly in their quest to gain ground or create opportunities. All too often instead of drawing men towards them before kicking Burton players kicked far too early and the opposition had plenty of time to gather the ball and counter attack. Time and again as Burton pushed forward Bournville players would go down injured to disrupt any flow that Burton had started. However, a quick tap penalty by Banton saw him flattened within two-metres and the extra ten metres gave Bartram a chance to put his side in the lead. Bartram kick bisected the uprights as it sailed over the bar and Burton had a 6-3 lead with twenty minutes remaining.

The restart was safely gathered by Eastwood and with Charl Neethling and Rob Wakelin in support they drove forward to halfway. Unfortunately the ball spilled loose and Bournville countered by hacking the ball down field where Bartram kicked the ball into touch some five metres from the Burton line. A catch and drive by the visiting pack saw them surge towards the Burton line and as Burton tried to keep them out the referee awarded a penalty try and suddenly for the first time in the match Burton were losing 6-10.

But worse was to follow when three of Burton’s most experienced players combined to try and clear a ball on the home twenty-two. A harmless kick downfield from Bournville created mayhem as spectators watched Philliskirk eventually gather the ball and after a few moments of thought pass to an unsuspecting Banton, who in somewhat of a like aspiration, just threw the ball to Dutton and as it appeared over his head he threw his arms up to knock it forward into opposition hands. Thankful for this demonstration of ineptitude Bournville raced forward for their scrumhalf to gleefully touchdown for a converted try.

Now with twelve minutes to play and trailing 6-15 Burton were at last stung into action and the home forwards started to surge forward at every ruck and maul. From one such move Banton fed Gilmour, who cleverly chipped ahead to race through and gather his own kick. Despite again being high tackled he fed the ball back inside to Bartram who raced clear to cleverly draw the fullback before passing to Philliskirk. The fullback raced over to touchdown halfway out and Bartram added the extra two points to put the score at 13-15.

For the last five minutes Burton tried every trick they knew to get the score that would give them victory but the visitor’s slowing tactics proved invaluable as they hung on for the victory they had wanted and possibly deserved.