It hasn't been a good preparation for the Burton team on the run up to this game with a severe lack of games since the beginning of December due to the weather as well as cancelled training sessions and some untimely injuries to some of the squad. Burton arrived at Stoke to be confronted with the bottom pitch that in some parts looked like an Irish peat bog, no offence Finn.
The Team had direction from the head coach Dr Tony Balance who has a vision for the team , unlike his eyesight at Sainsburys when after nearly 2 hours on the express basket only till bag packing turned to one of the lads and said " ISN'T IT FUNNY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 2 HOURS AND I HAVEN'T HAD A BIG TROLLEY THROUGH YET" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
It was nice to see the team so well supported by the parents as well as some of the injured players who turned up to watch their mates, we all prepared for this match in different ways. Mrs Nesbitt prepared for the match by turning up with a hangover, Becky Balance reverted to her childhood days and turned up with her pump bag for a comfort blanket, Paul Simpson tried to take everybodys mind off the game with the silly hat competition that he forgot to tell everybody about and he was the only one who entered it, Charlie Wainman went to the bar at 10.50 am for a steadying pint and Mark Hamlet went back to his youth by saying " THATS MY FAVOURITE SPOT UP AGAINST THE WALL"

Both Teams knew this was a big game and from the kick off it was clear due to the conditions the forwards would have their work cut out for them whilst the flyers down the back line wouldn't really be able to operate due to the heavy conditions under foot.The opening encounters saw neither team giving an inch and the Burton pack were able to get the better of their opposition. The relatively new look back line gelled well and were quick off the mark in defence to give Stoke no room to operate through their two big and effective centres.Eventually Burton started to get the upper hand and were the team going forward pinning Stoke back in their half, with some tremendous scrummaging and pack play they started to dominate in that area. When the ball came down the back line the backs used the ball well to make sure and steady progress up the pitch. Stoke defended well but eventually with the game coming up to the close of the first half the Burton pressure paid off with a well worked piece of play Burton scored the first try, which was duly converted to end the half 7-0 up.

In the second half Stoke immediately upped their game and this was matched by the Burton players, but this time Stoke were applying the pressure to the Burton line, despite some resolute defence with Burton players putting their bodies on the line Stoke managed to score and equal the score. The second half saw both teams battling hard to get the upper hand and were matching each other in every department. Then towards the end of the half this is when the spirit of DICK TURPIN turned up to rob Burton of a well deserved draw. Firstly an obvious and blatant high tackle on Burton player should have resulted in the sending off of a Stoke player, it didn't happen.
Then in the last supposedly 2 minutes DICK TURPIN and BLACK BESS turned up to rob Burton again with a series of inexplicable penalties against Burton giving Stoke 3 kicking penalty opportunities,it took Stoke 3 kicks to see Burton off as on the third and final penalty the ball went over the posts. Their was only one person on the pitch able to explain the end of this game because frankly no-one else could.

I have deliberately not mentioned any individuals from the Burton team because this was an outstanding team effort and should be viewed as a success and a moral victory. From the injured team players, the players not selected for the squad, the subs who didn't get on to the starting 15 this was all about the Burton under 14's coming together as a squad and playing the game with passion , commitment and integrity.Despite loosing they came off the pitch as a team with their heads held high and to any neutrals arriving they looked like the winning team coming off the pitch.

A superb effort well done to all the boys.