South Leicester 50 Burton 19
Playing the run-away league leaders on their own patch was always going to be tough, yet once again Burton put in a performance which belied their predicament of being without a win this league.
Burton kicked off with a strong wind at their backs and South Leicester knocked on. Loz Betty made yards before the game was stuck in midfield for several minutes. South then made ground and Dave Archer saved a try by taking his man into touch. James Davies found his jumper and Harry Titley cleared their lines.
Tom Murphy counter-rucked excellently and then Burton won a penalty, but the territorial advantage was ceded when Burton transgressed. A great off-load from Dave Henry and quick hands set Dewi Williams away on the left wing. Williams grubbered ahead but on the surprisingly firm pitch the ball ran dead.
South pressed very hard in defence and a loose Burton pass on half way was seized upon and the hugely powerful right wing Robinson was unstoppable. The kick went over but it had taken the league leaders seventeen minutes to score.
Burton stayed up-field after the re-start and Ken Archer forced a penalty which Dave Archer narrowly missed. However it wasn’t long before Burton were pressing again as Joe Gazzard stormed ahead, found Alex Nesbitt in support who slipped the scoring pass to Liam Hucknall. Archer’s kick slipped wide.
Dave Henry injured his knee and was replaced by Josh Cartwright. Play went back to half way before South over threw at a line-out. Daryl Banton looped round onto the bouncing ball and scorched 35 metres before being halted. Jack Neal did superbly to get to the breakdown and Burton were awarded a penalty. Archer knocked the kick over taking Burton into an 8-7 lead.
The league leaders were stung into action and piled on the pressure. An un-converted try came on the half hour and a flowing move brought a further try three minutes later. The conversion was successful.
Burton were forced into their own half before Luke Peach launched a 60 metre diagonal kick deep into the home twenty two. The ball stayed in play and the Full Back found touch. Burton drove from the lineout very effectively and it was pulled down by South, with a yellow card awarded.
From an awkward angle Archer found the target on the stroke of half time making the score 19-11.
The second half started with an unfortunate penalty for off-side. South found touch and then drove a maul superbly for 35 metres to score. Ed Henry chased the kick and won back the ball. The Burton backs handled beautifully and took play to within five metres before the nous of the home side at the breakdown slowed the ball down and earned a penalty. Frustration in the Burton ranks cost a further ten metres. Another penalty was conceded and South were in the corner. Burton managed a turnover and Titley relived the pressure.
Ed Henry was carrying a knock and James Burough replaced him. South attacked on the blind-side after a scrum and Burton fell off some tackles allowing try. The conversion made the margin twenty points. Eddie Nicholls replaced Banton.
The squat front-row of the home side were causing problems at the scrum for Burton and pressure at two set pieces was followed by a try in the centre.
South threw eleven men into a driving maul but Burton managed to hold the ball up. From the scrummage the ball squirted out and with the now customary bad luck for Burton it was a South Leicester player who dropped on it for a try.
It was hard work for Burton but they battled away. Davies, Murphy and Gazzard made carries, Betty and Ken Archer made huge hits. The effort from one to fifteen was immense.
South scored their last try from half way and the conversion made the score 50-11. There was still time for a mass altercation which passed without any cards being handed out.
The final whistle brought the curtain down on fourteen straight defeats in 2014. The New Year brings a run of games against opponents closer to Burton in the league and there is a feeling in the camp that there could be a new dawn. Third from bottom Bourneville visit the Croft on January 3rd so with positive support from the touch-line it could be the start of something.