Although taking twenty minutes before putting any points on the board Burton then accelerated to produce a ten try blitz that left their opposition grateful that it would be at least twelve month before they must face them again.

Charl Neethling gathered Walsall’s kick-off and fed Craig Dutton who raced sixty metres upfield on a barnstorming run before being stopped. Walsall were glad to concede a penalty and Tom Bartram stepped up to put Burton in the lead, but unlike the other ten kicks he took this attempt sailed wide of the posts. Burton piled on the pressure and runs by Dan Smith, Jon Edwards, Joe Carpenter, Lawrence Betty and Bartram all kept play inside the home half, but poor release of the ball meant that the scoreboard didn’t move. A stray boot then saw Ian Gilmour have to leave the field for stitches to his mouth and Dave Archer entered the fray. He was soon in action as he chased after a kick through only to be denied a try by the width of a finger. A grubber kick from Bartram set up a lineout some seven metres from the home line. Edwards stole the ball and fed Carpenter who deftly passed the ball between his legs to Darryl Banton. The ball bounced just before reaching him and Banton saw it strike his shin and shoot forward, while Walsall waited for the whistle Banton picked-up the ball and raced over to dot the ball down under the posts. Bartram made no mistake with the first of his ten successful conversions and Burton led 7-0 after seventeen minutes.

Burton now piled on the pressure with Neethling, Dan Clarke, Rob Wakelin and Josh Cartwright all making surging runs. The Burton backrow of Dutton, Carpenter and Simon Spencer were in tremendous form tackling, supporting and recycling ball for the Burton backs to continually threaten their opposite numbers. Cartwright took a Burton lineout on the halfway line and the ball was spun out to Lewis Brooks, who turned on the gas and sliced through the opposition ranks to score under the posts. Bartram again added the extra points and quickly followed this up with another successful kick after his own try following a searing burst of his own after he had received the ball from Wakelin just inside the opposition half.

Now leading 21-0 after just thirty minutes play Burton possibly thought the game was done and dusted and let Walsall back into the game. A series of rolling mauls and penalties saw the home side lay siege in the Burton twenty-two, but the Burton defence was solid. Unfortunately though poor discipline gave Walsall a final penalty and their No 8 Parr was quick to be driven over for a score that Wood converted. But that was the end of Walsall’s recovery as Burton hit back with their fourth try. After more powerful runs from Cartwright, Dutton, Wakelin and Neethling Burton got a scrum some ten-metres from the opposition line. Good quick ball sped through several pairs of hands before Brooks passed back inside to the on-rushing John Philliskirk who took the ball and dived over to score. With his fourth successful conversion Bartram took the score to 28-7 as the referee blew for halftime.

Full of confidence Burton restarted the game and Jon Edwards took the kick from out of the hands of the opposition to race thirty metres and take play to inside the Walsall twenty-two. From the ruck Banton broke blind and sold a lovely dummy to the home defence before racing in to score under the posts. Once again Bartram added the extra points as Burton started this half as they had ended the first.

Although Burton were in total control Walsall to their credit did not capitulate and indeed proceeded to put Burton under pressure with a series of powerful bursts, but poor handling by their backs meant chances were lost and Burton regained possession to counter attack. A lineout on the Walsall ten-metre line saw Burton again get possession and the ball was fed down the line to Bartram, who made a half break before slipping the ball to Betty who needed no second invitation to race over the line and score for Bartram to convert.

Burton now rang the changes as Chris Atchison and Dan Eastwood replaced Simon Spencer and Jon Edwards. Burton attacked again and from a scrum inside the home twenty-two Brooks made ground before turning inside to feed Betty who raced in for his second try in as many minutes. Once again Bartram’s trusty boot ensured the extra points and made it 49-7 after sixty minutes play.

Burton were now in celebration and festival mode and started to throw the ball around with gay abandon never giving the opposition a chance to get into the match. Although lagging way behind Burton in skill, determination and enthusiasm Walsall never gave up and made Burton work for all they got. Eastwood stole a home lineout and fed the ball to Dutton who raced forward. When slowed he released Bartram who passed to Philliskirk, who turned back inside to slip the ball to Danny Smith who cleverly jinked his way over the line for Burton’s eighth converted try. Then more Burton pressure and some great work by Carpenter was rewarded as he stole the ball and fed Bartram who saw the gap and scorched through it to race forty metre to the line to score and convert.

With five minutes to go Burton still piled on the pressure and a great move involving some six or seven pairs of hands eventually saw Brooks dive over in the corner for his second try of the match. Bartram completed Burton’s scoring and his one hundred percent conversion record with his tenth successful kick of the game to give Burton a thoroughly deserved victory that gives them the league title and automatic promotion to the National League Three.