Today is

Burton 10 Derby 36 on Feb 25th 2006

Burton hosted Derby seconds at Peel Croft on a cold and blustery afternoon.  With the Crofters first XV not in action the game was used also to assist  fringe players like Saunders returning from a two week lay off and Leason returning from an achilles injury.  The game started and the visitors immediately went on the offensive recyling ball well and making good yards putting the crofters under pressure in there own 22. 

Against the run of play the Crofters scored a well worked try.  Forrester tackled and turned the ball over to find the flying frenchman Babier Reme out of position on the wing.  He scorched over from 50 metres for an unconverted score.  This was the Crofters last score of the half.

Derby immediately struck back with a break from their outside centre who was hauled down metres before the line by winger English, however Derby retained possession to drive over for a converted score.  It was clear the Crofters were then in for a hard afternoon as in the next twenty minutes the visitors displayed exactly why they are as yet unbeaten.   Their well drilled forwards continually made good yards and retained possession leaving the crofters backs to live off scraps of ball and the Derby forwards drove over for a further three tries and late in the half their portly inside centre also scampered over to score despite a huge tackle from Russ Banton.

Burton suffered furthur with Sutton limping from the field of play to be replaced by Peach.  However the second half Burton started in resilient mood with good defence from Ward and Forrester.  The pack tried to up the pace with Tweddle and Saunders making inroads but a lack of support saw too much ball being turned over.  With the ball under pressure Cole scored a try from nothing after chipping the defence to score another unconverted try allthough he shorly retired injured as the back line resuffled.  Attempting to play a wider game now fly half leason put centre Banton through twice only for him to be tackled and then laterly unable to ground the ball.

A frantic last five minutes saw Derby try and break down the crofters defence only to be thwarted as the game finished Derby 36 Burton 10.