Burton made a disastrous start at Bourneville and left themselves far too much to do when they rallied in the second half.
Josh Cartwright was hoisted high to receive the kick off and Burton spun the ball out only for a handling error to cede possession to Bourneville. Two phases later Burton defended sloppily and the hosts were in for a score which went unconverted.
As in previous weeks the Burton scrummage was dominant and this soon gave a platform for Sam Smith to chip ahead and Dewi Williams to chase down. From a penalty Ian Gilmour put Burton deep into the opposing half but a counter-attack quickly recovered the territorial advantage for Bourneville. Burton strayed off-side and were pushed into their twenty two by a penalty and from the line-out the Bourneville centre crossed for a try all too easily. The conversion put Burton twelve points behind after ten minutes.
Kelvin Browne was the first Burton player to break the defensive line but then began a period of play which swung between the twenty twos. Burton desperately needed to make more of an impression on the game and it briefly appeared this would happen when James Burrough charged down the home fly half’s kick, on the Bourneville twenty two, with teammates on either shoulder in a classic arrow-head formation. By frustrating fluke the ball bounced from the ground back into the hands of the home ten and he then kicked clear successfully.
Bourneville then attacked again until Jono Parkinson made a great turnover, however the pressure continued and the first time Burton scrummaged poorly the home forwards took the ball through several phases before releasing their twelve to score under the posts making for an easy conversion. Cartwright charged down, Craig Dutton turned over and Tom Murphy made a strong carry but Burton were unable to capitalise each time as they conceded penalties or knocked on.
The scoreboard had remained static since the twenty third minute, now with the break approaching the Bourneville No 8 broke through the Burton defence found his Hooker in support and from quick recycled ball a huge overlap on the right wing was exploited with a score in the right-hand corner. A perfect conversion made it twenty six nil. The misery for Burton was compounded when Eddie Nicholls fell awkwardly after a sniping run to be replaced at Scrum Half by Daryl Banton, with the void on the wing being filled by Alex Nesbitt.
The half time team talk appeared to have a dramatic effect on Burton as they secured possession quickly after kicking off. Dutton, Ian Gilmour Smith and Burrough combined to take the ball swiftly forward and then Dave Archer dragged defenders over the line for a great score. Banton used the far post to aid his conversion.
Jack Neal replaced Joel Briggs on the flank. Soon afterwards Gilmour ghosted through the Bourneville defence but it was Bourneville who were next to make anything count next. A replacement made a break over the twenty two and found support out wide on the right wing. A missed kick left the score 26-7.
Full Back Nick Oxley made a diagonal run towards the left wing and linked with Nesbitt. The Colt charged forward with two defenders bringing him down appeared to have grounded the ball, but the Referee saw it otherwise. Burton remained on the attack and the second score looked as if it would come from a three on two but the home Left Wing gambled, intercepted and went on to score. Williams valiantly corner flagged and in doing so made the conversion too difficult for the Bourneville kicker.
Murphy made ground with two excellent charges in quick succession but was injured as he was brought to ground after the second of these. Dom Musseti came on as replacement Prop.
Burton were a far different side from in the first half, better in attack and more disruptive every time Bourneville had possession.
Bourneville attempted a quick lineout after Gilmour found touch on their ten. The throw went straight to the floor inside the five metre channel, Nesbitt gathered it and released Smith who was into the twenty two and clear before the Referee called play back for Bourneville to re-take the lineout.
With five minutes to play Neal was driven forwards after a line-out take and then Smith fed Archer who scored his second try. Banton drop kicked the conversion.
Banton, Browne, Archer, Oxley and Williams linked for a fine move but Bourneville scrambled under their posts to deny Burton a final score and seal a 36-14 victory.
Burton can ill afford to start games in such a sloppy fashion, however the effort and enterprise of the second half should show them that they can compete at this level and an occasional slice of good luck would help as well.