Over the past few seasons matches with Sandbach have tended to be very close encounters with only a handful of points separating the teams each time they met. This first competitive match at our new home, Battlestead Croft, was always going to be a real challenge for the Burton side due to a number of reasons apart from the new surroundings including several new players, a new coaching team and a rock hard pitch following a very dry period of weather over the past 2 weeks or so.

Sandbach kicked off on a warm afternoon with a very light breeze at their backs and the early exchanges were typical of most early season matches let alone the extended break due to the covid pandemic. Both teams tried to stamp their authority on the game and as expected there was little to choose between the teams in the first few minutes.

The first exciting action of the match came after about 5 minutes when Alex Nesbitt broke through the Sandbach defence to take play from half-way almost up to the 22 metre line. The move unfortunately broke down and Sandbach were awarded a penalty at the resulting maul. The Sandbach kicker cleared his lines excellently to set up a line out deep in Burton territory.

Burton then rescued themselves with a great jump and take in the line out, the clearing kick took a deflection off a Sandbach player to hand Burton the throw. Sandbach then hit back immediately and forced Burton into touch having secured possession from the throw.

Sandbach mounted their first serious attack on the Burton line but the home team stood firm and were eventually awarded a scrum on their own 5 metre line. At this stage the scrums were very evenly balanced and neither team could dominate possession of the ball.

Burton then almost broke away from their own 22 as Charlie Bunting was just unable to take a pass following a strong half-break by Josh Kent. Scunthorpe won the ensuing scrum and spilled the ball which was almost intercepted by Burton for a breakaway up the pitch only to be brought back for a Burton scrum by the referee who adjudged the ball to have been knocked on by a Burton player.

With 12 minutes gone it was Burton’s turn to mount an attack moving the ball well in the hands of backs and forwards only to be forced into touch on the left just outside the 22 metre line. Sandbach moved the ball well from the resulting line out and the Burton defence was excellent forcing a Sandbach knock-on. Bunting linked up well from the scrum and Burton edged into the Sandbach ‘22’ however Sandbach were able to clear and Burton were then penalised for offside.

Burton’s defence was again put to the test and was eventually rewarded with a penalty almost half way through the first half. Will Simpson kicked to the half way line. Following the line out Burton were then penalised for not rolling away in the tackle area and Sandbach were able to kick to the Burton 5 metre line for a line out. Sandbach took full advantage of this position, winning the line out and driving the ensuing maul over the try line for the first score of the game. The conversion was unsuccessful and with 20 minutes of the first half gone the score was Burton 0-5 Sandbach.

Burton re-started the game and were awarded a penalty for not releasing and Simpson kicked to touch for a line out on the Sandbach ‘22’. Bunting threatened again with a break and Sandbach were under very heavy pressure. Their reaction to this resulted in several penalties in quick succession and the Burton supporters felt the referee should have shown a yellow card but they had to settle for a penalty in front of the posts which Simpson converted to make the score Burton 3- 5 Sandbach after 25 minutes of play.

Following the re-start Sandbach won back possession fairly quickly and then began to pass the ball rather wildly in response to some excellent defensive pressure from the Burton team. 10 minutes before half time, with the wind now seemingly getting stronger, Burton started to apply more pressure on the Sandbach defence, which was clearly now rattled. A questionable high tackle by Sandbach on half way was not punished by the referee who instead awarded a penalty against Burton for not rolling away.

Sandbach upped their game which saw a Burton’s penalty count increase and Sandbach kicked to well inside the Burton ‘22’. Sandbach won the line out and drove back the Burton pack with surprising ease to the 5 metre line where Burton were then awarded a scrum. Sandbach then repeated the drive in the scrum to claim their second try just before the break. This time the conversion was successful making the score Burton 3 – 12 Sandbach and the remainder of the half saw Sandbach retain possession with the Burton defence pretty dominant.

The second half began in similar fashion to the end of the first half and after 2 minutes there was a lengthy delay to allow treatment to two Sandbach players. The re-start saw Sandbach win the ball and a kick deep into Burton territory led to a poor Burton clearance giving Sandbach the line out just inside the Burton ‘22’. Another Sandbach drive meant play progressed to Burton’s 5 metre line but the Burton defence again was strong and were eventually awarded a scrum just inside their own ‘22’. From the scrum Harry Titley cleared to the 10 metre line and then Sandbach throw was not straight giving Burton a chance to regain possession and territory. It was a chance that they took delightfully winning the ball and then moving the ball in excellent fashion through the backs to Tristan De Jagger on the right wing who touched down for Burton’s first try at Battlestead Croft after 9 minutes of the second half. Simpson added the extras to make the score Burton 10-12 Sandbach.

Shortly after the re-start Sandbach were awarded a penalty which they kicked to touch. Burton won the resulting line out and cleared to half way. Sandbach mounted another attack and a dominant tackle from Nesbitt brought a very large cheer form the home supporters. Burton’s efforts to get a stranglehold on the game were not helped by a number of simple errors throughout the game and one of these lead to Sandbach’s third try of the game, under the posts, when in loose play the Sandbach attack went far too easily through a gap in the middle of the pitch after 20 minutes. A successful conversion made the score Burton 10-19 Sandbach.

Burton tried to hit back immediately and made good progress into the Sandbach ‘22’. Burton then lost possession and Sandbach were denied a try as the referee adjudged a forward pass. Sandbach now began to assert real pressure not just in the scrums, where they were particularly dominant, but in loose play also and it was no surprise when the referee lost his patience with the Burton team and awarded a penalty try with 10 minutes left to play to make the score Burton 10-26 Sandbach.

Burton to their credit were still trying to get back in the game but were frustrated by Sandbach seeing out time, retaining possession and really slowing the game down. The final score of the game came as a result of an interception by Sandbach following an attack by Burton leading to a try in the corner with 3 minutes remaining. The conversion was missed making the final score Burton 10-31 Sandbach.
A disappointing ‘season opener’ result for Burton but with many positives including work rate, backs open play, back row carrying, rucking and mauling to build on. Man of the match was awarded to Alex Nesbitt for an impressive all-round performance.

Photos from the game can be viewed here Credit to ©Richard Catlin.

Report by Rob Nesbitt.