Winning last years league has seen Burton being promoted into Midlands 2. It was provisionally Burton’s first real challenge of the new campaign, playing Old Leams newly relegated from Midlands 1. Far from being a friendly match, it was a rude awakening to the task ahead, but one that Burton settled into in the first 10 minutes. Littered with disciplinary issues throughout, Burton dug deep, kept smiling and began to score tries with ease.

The scores opened after 10 minutes with good passing through the hands by the forwards, eventually for Lesley Yates (2nd row) to touch down and converted by last seasons improved kicker Lisa Tunnicliffe. It was not long before the forwards yet again proved their worth by driving from their own 22 into the oppositions half leaving a gap down the blind side for Carol Genders to race down the wing for the 2nd try.

Old Leams attempted to put force against Burton with pressure in the rucks, but with good mauling and again good hands it released No 10 Pash Holden, to sprint the last 3 metres to the line. The final score of the first half, saw another good drive off a line out won from Old Leams by Mitch Rose and Tracey Doser releasing it to Pash Holden who gave a well timed pass out to centre Deb Drage whose angle of running beat the defence of Old Leams to touch down.

The talk at half time from Coach Dave Bownds focused on the need for the back line to become more involved, making it less hard work for the forwards and opening up play. In the 2nd half this exactly what Burton did. Burton camped out in Old Leams half for almost 15 minutes before a break by Lisa Tunnicliffe down the right, cutting in to the middle of the park before getting tackled 5 metres from the Old Leams line. An inept Old Leams defence saw no one to challenge Pascale Holden taking the ball off the floor to place under the post to be converted by Lisa Tunnicliffe. Old Leams started to tire and Burton made good use of this by building a good platform with phases of play to send out wide to a 3 man overlap to enable Lisa Tunnicliffe to run in under the post to be duly converted by herself. The last try saw a maul in the Old Leams 22 which Mitch Rose rolled off and released Claire Brickley who created her own gap, taking two defenders with her.

This was Burtons first league match of the season, and it proved to be a big wake up call as the
result shows, with this being the hardest match so far.

Burton went out with the attitude that they needed to prove themselves but they fell short of this. The match was hard from the kick off, with Olney in attack and Burton on the back foot, but then for the next 20 minutes Burton seemed to find their stride working hard in the forwards to gain ground, and the back line both in defence and attack showed their worth. The first score came from Burton with ground gaining by the forwards, which then led to a penalty for Lou Hanson to take a quick tap and go, having the forwards there to support. This saw Burton in Olney’s 22 and eventually at 10 metres the ball was released to the back line who showed goods hands for Lisa Tunnicliffe to join the line behind the centres to go over the line and put down under the posts, for herself to convert.

It was not long before Olney came back into the game. Burton showed naivety in their forward play both in rucks and mauls only committing a few players and then being either driven back or pushed over the ball for Olney to have the turnover ball and make good use of it with their No. 6 racing through Burton defence to crash over the line. The next player from Olney saw them camped in Burtons 22 for 10 minutes at least. They managed to cross the line, but to be held up by Pash Holden and Lisa Tunnicliffe, the back lines defence saved Burton from further score, until Olney’s forwards applied the pressure with ruck after ruck eventually letting their winger skirt around Burtons last defence to score.

The half time score saw Burton behind by 3 points at 10-7. The second half would also see a further 2 tries from Olney. Burtons game was a poor show all round, with some not putting in their whole worth, and it being Burtons worst game for over a year. The backs with their defensive game gave Burton a smaller defeat and continuous tackling by Pash Holden and Debbie Drage did not let Olney’s backs break through. The scores of the second half were from Olney’s No. 6 again flying through Burtons defence to show her pace to the line, and then for their winger to use her strength to battle through taking some of Burtons players with her as she touched down. Burtons forwards picked up pace when Nicki Honeybourne came on at flank and got stuck in at all rucks and mauls making her impact known and the coach wondering about making her part of the starting line up for the next game.

If Burtons forwards had worked as effectively as the back line we may be looking at a different
score line and if this game is a mark of the play of the league ahead Burton will need to start
working more as a team. This game may also be what Burton needed after the winning streak they have had, this may have just bought them back down to earth and then the only way is up.

Player of the Match — Nicki Honeybourne
Player of the Week — Pash Holden
Tackle of the Match — Kelly Parkes

This was Burton’s second league match of the season and their first trip away to Hereford. One
downside was that Burton only had a squad of 14 players and when they arrived at Greyhound they
were informed that they had 19 players. Burton were confident that this wouldn’t make a
difference but realistically it was going to.

The first half Burton were determined to stick to the basics, hard rucks, secure mauls and a good
defensive line and this is exactly what they did. Greyhounds backs looked nervous, dropping balls
and making bad passes, and their forwards giving away silly penalties for high tackles and being
offside and this let Burton sit in their 22 for the first 20 minutes of the game.

Greyhound showed their worth in the scrums and lineouts making Burton work hard as they defended again and again from lost ball at set play. Eventually though Burton's hard work paid off from a Greyhounds scrum
at half way line, the back row of Lou Hanson, Mitch Rose and Flick Bownds putting immense pressure on Greyhounds back line for the No. 10 to fumble and drop the ball for Mitch Rose to pick up and score. Lisa Tunnicliffe unlucky to convert.

Greyhounds used their full back to kick for ground throughout the match and the rest of the first half saw play moving up and down the pitch. Greyhound winning all the line Outs bar 1 and Burton defending out of the textbook. Greyhound were now settling into their game, the forwards bringing the ball forwards and setting up good rucks and the backs choosing alternative lines and attempting to get around Burtons short back line. Eventually they did for their outside centre to put the pace on for a runaway try. No conversion.

Ten minutes to go to half time Burton went down to 13 players as Lou Hanson sustained a hand injury, but heads did not go down Burton dug deep and tackled everything in sight, and also moved forward.

Burton were glad of half time, to get their heads together. Scrums were poor and so were lineouts, and Greyhounds unworthy tactics on the pitch were beginning to rile some players. They were reminded again of the basics, forwards taking the ball up to suck in Greyhounds defence and to then get it out to the backs for them to use their pace.

The second half saw this. Now back up to 14 players, Burton made slow ground up the pitch drawing in defenders and unsettling Greyhound but instead of loosing their game they retaliated with foul play which the ref could not see but began to unsettle Burton.

Forwards and back play managed to get into Greyhounds 22 and then forwards released to the
backs, who showed good hands down the line for Debbie Drage to score in the corner. Lisa
Tunnicliffe unable to convert. The rest of the match Burton played to their ability but fell short of
scoring again. Greyhounds kicking increased and Burton continued to loose at the lineout, but did
make up for it in pressure, pushing Greyhounds back line across the pitch not allowing them much
ground. Greyhound found a way through though missed tackles by forwards and backs let them
cross the line under the posts and their full back converted.

Burton continued as they had for the whole match and gained momentum again down the pitch.
The backs screaming for the ball to be released and the final whistle being blown.

Player of the match — Pascale Holden
Player of the week — Flick Bownds
Tackle of the match — Tracey Williams

Burton have so far been unlucky in their new league with a string of narrow defeats and were thus keen to get their 1st win, particularly playing on their home soil.

Despite people playing out of position due to injuries, Burton made a spirited start to the game but poor ball retention by the forwards on both sides made for a scrappy 1st 5 minutes. Oxford seemed to settle down 1st, but thanks to committed tacking by the forwards Oxford were held up over the line. Despite excellent scrummaging by the Burton pack and continued tackling by Clare Brickley in the centre as always, the Oxford pressure was eventually rewarded as their No 8 stormed over for the 5 points.

After another period of scrappy play between both sides, Burton received a penalty which was aptly kicked and chased by scrum half Rachel Hope to get them into the Oxford 22. Despite good line out play with open-side Flic Bownds dominating her opposite jumper and Mitch Rose & Clare Brickley breaking the gain line, the ball was eventually turned over. However, poor discipline by Oxford resulted in a quick tap penalty by Rach Hope which with the back row in support ensured possession for Burton back into the Oxford 22.

A great run by No 8 Mitch Rose set Burton up within a few metres of the line only to eventually lose possession due to accidental offside. However, with props Tracey Williams & Adele Jones dominating their opposite numbers in the scrum, Katie Parker at hooker made a great steal to set up for a forwards drive over the line to be held up by some committed defending by Oxford.

After a period of Oxford injuries, Burton seemed to have the upper hand and continued pressure in the Oxford 22 enabled Burton’s outside centre Kelly Parkes to crash over for the score 2 minutes before half-time.

The second half started much like the 1st with inconsistent play by both teams although again great tackling by Kelly Parkes and Clare Brickley in the centres and Rach Hope around the fringes prevented Oxford from breaking away. A good kick and chase by Rach Hope gave full back Carol Genders an opportunity at scrum half to deliver a well timed pass to Mitch Rose to make good ground.

Despite a good period of intense pressure on the Oxford line, the ball was eventually knocked on. However, Burton’s dominance in the scrum continued putting pressure on the kick which was then charged down by Jules Bowen to win the ball back for Rach Hope to dive over for the try on 55 minutes.

From the kick off Adele Jones made a great run with good support by the forwards to set up for Kelly Parkes to make good ground in the centres. Although the ball was then turned over, good pressure by blind-side Jules Bowen and Clare Brickley in the centre kept Oxford in their own half.

However, Oxford eventually managed to turn their period of possession into points by scoring under the posts although the conversion was missed making the score even at 10 a piece.

A further period of scrappy play ensued, with both teams frantically trying to secure the win but committed defence by the Burton back line kept the Oxford attack at bay. Turnover ball gave Burton the chance to clear to touch followed by a great lineout steal by Flic Bounds on the Oxford 22. Good ball retention in the maul followed by some excellent inter-play between the Burton props Adele Jones & Tracey Williams set up a great score by Rach Hope in the corner in the dying minutes of the game to give Burton the win they’d been waiting for.

Burton travelled away to Old Leam’s feeling confident after their well fought win last week and began the match with passion. After playing them in a friendly earlier in the season, Burton knew that they needed to be committed at the breakdown to secure the ball but unfortunately old Leams appeared to again have the upper hand in this area, largely due to the sheer strength, dominance & leadership of their No 8.

Thus the first quarter of the match required some committed defending by forwards and backs alike to keep Old Leams at bay. With Flic Bownds covering full back due to injury, Burton sorely missed her ball stealing and securing skills and this combined with the continued kicking of the Old Leams fly half ensured that they had plenty of ball in the Burton half from which to eventually score.

Despite this, Burton continued to defend well with Tiernan Tomlinson being particularly troublesome for Old Leams in the rucks and Rach Hope tackling well on the fringes. Some powerful runs by Leslie Yates, Mitch Rose & Adele Jones set up good field possession to release the backs but unfortunately there was no way through.

Although Burton faired well in the scrums with tight-head Adele Jones making life difficult for her opposite number & hooker, they failed to convert this pressure into a score and the continued dominance of the Old Leams No 8 keeping possession for her team eventually lead to a further score to make it 10 – 0 at half time.

Several changes bringing Flic Bownds back into the forwards and Debs Drage from second row into the centre saw Burton start the second half with a new lease of life, with the forwards retaining possession giving the back line several scoring attempts.

This Burton pressure soon began to take its toll on Old leams whose discipline began to fall resulting in their No 8 being sin binned for unnecessary use if the boot. The loss of their best player combined with a better Burton performance soon saw Burton pressuring the Old Leams line. Some good interplay between the forwards followed by a great surge for the line by Lesley Yates backed up by Flic Bownds saw the 1st Burton score.

From then on in, Burton seemed to have the upper hand with the back row keeping Old Leams under pressure in defence and attack and Deb Drage making ground in the centres. With scrum half Rach Hope & prop Adele Jones linking well on the blind side and the continued commitment of Tiernan Tomlinson in the rucks, the Burton pressure eventually resulted in a try by Adele Jones to even the score.

The Burton momentum was such that even on the return of the Old Leams No 8, they continued to pressure for the next score and thanks to great vision by Rach Hope Burton went 5 points clear. Although Old Leams did have periods of possession, the Burton back line never let them through and with the support of the back row, ensured plenty of turnover ball.

Burton continued with their pressure and some great runs by Mitch Rose and Adele Jones scattering bodies as they went enabled Burton to pressure the Old Leams line. Good recycling by the forwards with Leslie Yates & Rach Hope making ground at the fringes enabled fly half Pash Holden to deliver a well timed pass to Debs Drage who then broke the Old Leams line to score near the posts followed by a successful conversion by Mitch Rose.

Old Leams never looked like levelling the scores with committed defending by Burton resulting in a well deserved win.