While other teams were kicking their heels and waiting for pitches to become playable Burton were able to blow away the cobwebs from the month long, weather enforced lay-off. In doing so they achieved a comfortable nine try victory to increase their lead at the top of the table and give themselves some vital match practise before next week’s much tougher away fixture against Dudley Kings.

On the rapidly drying pitch Burton kicked-off and having already beaten the opposition 76-5 earlier in the season soon demonstrated their intentions of producing a similar result on the Croft. Early home pressure saw Josh Cartwright steal a North throw and as the pack drove forward Darryl Banton released Ian Gilmour and Tom Bartram. The latter’s long pass found an eager Danny Smith waiting to seize the opportunity to race in from twenty-metres out for his and Burton’s first try after just two minutes play. Bartram slotted over the conversion and Burton were on their way.

From the restart Jon Edwards and Lawrence Betty made penetrating runs to put Burton back into the opposition twenty-two and a penalty for not rolling away saw Bartram add three more points to take Burton ten points clear after just four minutes play. North at last got into the Burton half from the kick-off but when a penalty chance was missed play soon returned to Cheltenham’s half.

Following surging runs by Joe Carpenter and Josh Cartwright a ruck just on halfway saw Banton feed John Philliskirk as he burst forward from deep. He made thirty metres before feeding Dave Archer, who drew the North fullback and passed back inside to Philliskirk to race in for Burton’s second try. Once again Bartram’s trusty boot added the extra points to put his side seventeen points clear.

A rare Cheltenham attack saw Carpenter yellow carded for interfering with the jumper at a lineout inside the Burton twenty-two, but even being a man short failed to stop Burton’s relentless march as they quickly regain possession and moved play back down the field. A series of great pick-ups and drives by Edwards, Craig Dutton and then Edwards again took play to halfway before another penalty saw Bartram kick the ball deep into the North twenty-two. From the lineout Burton spun the ball out and Archer came in as the extra man to create the overlap and pass to Smith, who turned on the gas and raced over for his second try of the day. Simon Spencer’s entry into the game as replacement for Carpenter put Burton back up to full strength and his first act was to drive into a maul and steal the ball to set-up Burton’s final attack of the half. Banton fed the ball to Betty on the blindside and he cleverly drew the cover to release Dave Archer to sprint over for a try. Bartram’s conversion sailed between the uprights and the referee’s whistle signalled the end of the half with Burton leading 29-0.

North kicked-off for the second half and the ensuing maul ended to leave Rich Wilton writhing in agony with a damaged knee as Burton’s trail of injured hookers continued and he left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Dan Clarke. But Burton once again shrugged this set back aside as Gilmour and Bartram split the visitor’s defence with a superb scissors move that saw Bartram streaking fifty-metres towards North’s line. But with the fullback to beat Bartram pass just fell short of the support and the chance to increase the lead was lost. Then as North tried to kick themselves clear of their line a penalty to Burton took play back to inside the opposition twenty-two. Dutton took a quick tap to feed Cartwright, who charged forward before feeding Betty. He slipped the ball back inside to Danny Smith and with Dutton’s assistance he forced his way through five or six Cheltenham players to crash over the line from six-metres out to touchdown and get his hat trick.

A kick ahead by Banton saw Archer race forward to tackle the catcher. But in doing so he picked up a calf injury that saw him leave the field to be replaced by John Leason and a reshuffle in the backline saw Betty move out onto the wing with Leason partnering Bartram in the centre. Once again these changes seemed to inspire the Burton team into action and Smith and Philliskirk chased down a deep, angled kick by Gilmour. The catcher, possibly fearing for his safety, as these two grabbed him threw the ball into touch to give Burton a penalty. Quick thinking by Philliskirk and Dutton saw another quick tap taken and some excellent inter-passing between Smith, Philliskirk, Dutton and Edwards saw the latter crash over from five-metres out for a try to increase Burton’s lead to 39-0.

Another piece of inter-passing by Burton’s forwards saw young Dan Eastwood race over the line for his first ever first team try, but his joy was short lived as the referee called play back for an earlier Burton infringement. But a great take by the luckless Eastwood at a lineout on halfway did set-up Burton’s next score when Gilmour beautifully timed his pass to Bartram. The Burton captain raced through the defence to draw the cover and pass to Philliskirk, who completed the move as he scored in the corner.

Charl Neethling took the restart and charged forward twenty-metres to find fellow prop Rob Wakelin in support and not to be outdone he made another twenty-metres to set up a ruck in the twenty-two. Banton moved the ball out to the left and some clever exchanges saw Philliskirk score for Burton’s second hat trick of the day.

Leading 49-0 and a couple of minutes to play some sides may well have relaxed but not today as Burton went all out for even more points and make the most of the much-needed match practise. Burton’s pack again surged forward with Spencer, Dutton and Edwards to the fore and a scrum some five-metres from the visitor’s line saw Banton feed Gilmour. The quicksilver outhalf darted through the thinnest of gaps to squeeze his way over for Burton’s ninth and final try of the day. The last kick of the game saw Bartram refind his kicking boots and the conversion bisected the uprights to give Burton a comfortable and much-needed winning start to 2010.