Wolverhampton 2nds 14 Burton 'A' 33 on 1st December 2007

Once again late unavailability and injuries forced Burton into a game with a much-changed side as they travelled to play Wolverhampton.

Burton again started brightly and twice went close to scoring as Joe Counter and Tom Bartram both narrowly missed chances. However, neither side could establish any domination in the first twenty minutes, but Wolverhampton were able to make good ground by utilising the strong wind at their backs. Burton eventually began to get themselves more organised and started to play as a unit and from a ruck on the home line Counter moved the ball out wide. Prop forward Richard Paupe was on hand to drive over for a score and Ian Cartwight converted to put Burton into a 7-0 lead. A similar situation saw Bartram repeat the feat as Burton moved further ahead.  

After the break the Burton had the benefit of the wind but the home side had other ideas and started strongly taking the play to Burton and Burton were made to struggle in rucks and mauls, but when Burton moved the ball out wide they looked the far superior side. The more Burton played with width the better they became and Richard Green wasted no time in showing this as he raced in for a try that Cartwright again converted. More good quick ball saw Counter feed Bartram to dart through for the second of his hat trick of tries to mark his return to Burton colours.

Although Burton were in complete command they lapsed in concentration and allowed the home side to get two quick scores to narrow the gap to 26-14. But Bartram’s third try, scored with a slicing dash through the home defence, and Cartwright’s fourth conversion secured a well, deserved 33-14 victory.