After the thrashing they received last Saturday Burton re-grouped and once again gave one of the better sides in the league a very good run for their money.
Burton kicked off and managed to win back the ball before playing through some phases. A knock on brought the first scrummage and Sandbach worked the ball to their speedy Right Wing Leech who rounded the defence and scored under the posts. Elliot converted. If Burton minds thought ‘here we go again’ it didn’t last for long as they got stuck into their opposition with some great defensive work to thwart a series of attacks. Craig Dutton made a turn-over, Ken Archer forced a knock-on and collective pressure earned a penalty.
A mighty Burton scrummage got the crowd behind them and early supremacy in this department brought a penalty which Dave Archer put between the posts.
Joe Gazzard caught the re-start and bundled opponents out of the way to make 30 metres. Dutton took the ball on before the backs spun the ball quickly to Dewi Williams, but the left wing was pushed into touch 10 metres from the line. Burton aggressively pressed the lineout and were awarded a penalty, from which they chose a scrummage. No. 8 Liam Hucknall broke from the base and set up a ruck. Ken Archer was next to barge forward before Harry Titley picked out Loz Betty cutting back in and the big Centre burst through to score. Dave Archer converted and it was 10-7 to Burton with 19 minutes gone.
Sandbach switched their kick off and made touch. Burton lost the lineout and then conceded a penalty which Sandbach kicked for the corner. Burton held out several drives before Tom Murphy was sin-binned for not rolling away. Sandbach looked to capitalise on the numerical advantage through several drives but then saw a three on two on the blindside for Leech and Elliot to add further points.
Burton held Sandbach in their half through some good pressure, with Luke Peach leading the line. As Sandbach attempted to break out on the left wing Dave Archer sniffed out an interception and crossed for a try which he then converted.
Banton superbly averted danger by sweeping and fashioning a kick to touch under real pressure. There was no let up as the visiting right winger grubber-kicked ahead. Williams impeded his chase and Burton were reduced to thirteen men. Burton battled their way back to half with some aggressive defence only for the opposing No. 8 Nash to break free to score under the posts.
Ed Henry’s pressure forced the Kick Off receiver to knock on and Hucknall attacked from the base. Somehow a Sandbach player managed to retrieve the ball at the ruck and set up a 50 metre counter attack. Burrough found his man at the lineout and Banton found a good touch.
Dutton and Titley attacked for Burton, only for the ball to be lost however Dave Archer chopped down the attacker and earned a penalty which he drilled over the bar to bring the first half to a close at 20-21.
Burton were back to full strength for the kick-off, however conceded two penalties and missed some tackles allowing Sandbach to chip and chase but Gazzard was able to track back and prevent a score.
Burton mixed their play in their next attack as Dutton and Banton made breaks, Betty crashed and the forwards trundled. Peach put a kick to the corner which stayed in play and Sandbach were forced into touch. This was the time for Burton to take the game by the scruff of the neck but sadly the lineout miss-functioned and a penalty was conceded. As has so often been the case this season the opposition were clinical with their next half chance and created a score form deep. Kimber scored the try and Elliot converted.
Play was frantic for a few minutes as the ball changed hands repeatedly, with Banton, Hucknall, Peach and Murphy making positive contributions. Some great work by Burton at a breakdown saw them rewarded with a penalty. Skipper Titley put the ball into the corner and another penalty came as Sandbach impeded at the lineout. Jack Neal made a carry in midfield but Burton couldn’t turn the pressure into points. James Davies, Dave Henry and Eddie Nicholls entered the fray.
The game had been highly entertaining for an hour before it slowed and there was little of note for ten minutes. Sandbach were awarded penalty thirty metres out with three minutes remaining and they chose to take the points and make the game safe at 20-31.
Tempers flared in the next play and after the Referee restored order, Titley chased his own kick and made the turnover but Burton were unable to get the score to obtain the bonus point which would have been small reward for the massive effort they had put in.