Burton Vets 20 v Riddler's All Stars 36 on 2nd February 2008

To mark Rob Ridley’s 40th birthday the Burton Vets played an invitation XV drawn together by him and consisting of many of Burton’s old top players with numerous first team appearances. In an exciting game watched by a very large crowd the Vets staged a second half comeback after having been given a lesson in rugby for the first forty minutes, but just could not get enough points to salvage a result and went down 36-20. 

The All Stars started off playing some excellent rugby with Andy Peach, Dave Heptonstall, Rob Poyser and Rob Ridley dominating play by playing sensible rugby of driving forward and keeping it tight. All of this produced the initial two tries for the ‘man of the day’ Ridley and from these his team never looked like it was going to be beaten. More close quarter rugby produced a try for Heptonstall, but then when the ball was passed along the line Dave Bownds (2) and Paul Harris both weighed in with tries. Unfortunately for the ‘Stars’ some of the old timers had trouble hanging on to the ball and others found that their recovery rates were not what they were or else more tries would have been forthcoming. Nevertheless spectators were given a wonderful spectacle of skill and expertise by the likes of Darryl Pride, Tony Balance, Trevor Burrows, Pete Scobie and Paul Sankey plus numerous other old warriors.

But having built up a healthy 36-0 lead the ‘Stars’ rang the changes at the break and much to the relief of the Vets on came some other less distinguished players of old. To their credit the Vets took the play to this new assembly and some good rugby on their part saw Darren Golder, Anthony Hewitt, Ben Waldron and Ben Peach score tries to make the score line look respectable. Now deprived of some of the fitter and more experienced players and possibly helped by the half-time port the ‘Stars’ were put under pressure by the Vets but still managed to show several near misses for their efforts. Although not adding to their points total all the guest players certainly ensured that the Vets didn’t score too many tries and upset their hosts day.