Trentham travelled to Tamworth on a cool but fine Sunday morning for their Staffordshire U14s Plate final against Burton. Trentham were at full strength with a squad of 22, Burton having a squad of 25.

Both teams warmed up on the pitches before returning to the changing room for the final briefing. Even from the long walk to the pitch Burton looked more up for the game than the boys in green and this soon became more evident once the game was underway.

Right from the kick off Burton dominated the breakdown not allowing Trentham to get in the stride and using their big forwards to punch holes. The first score came early when Trentham were pinned back in their own 22 and burton found space on their left wing for the winger to dive in under the covering tackle. The conversion was short.

Trentham then started to settle in to their game and put some phases together. However great tackling from the Burton Full back denied Sullivan Nicely what looked to be an almost certain try. Trentham kept at it though and the forwards started to take it to the burton pack. A number of pick and drives took it to the line and Elijah Stone emerged to bring the score level. The conversion was missed.

A couple of key decisions in the run up to half time affected Trenthams momentum. The first where one of the Burton backs was adjudged to have dangerously tackled Trentham's fly half after intervention by the Touch Judge. Despite the player clearly lifting his legs above the horizontal the referee and touch judge decided penalty only despite the player arguing with the ref. Then just as half time approached the Burton right winger broke free and was one on one with Trentham's full back Ben Gibson who put in a text book tackle only to see the Burton winger get back to his feet without releasing the ball and run in to score. The referee decided the player was not held, the conversion was kicked.
Half Time Burton 12 Trentham 5.

Just after the kick off Trentham were in trouble again when strong work and aggressive running saw them under pressure and getting sucked in. Burton again found space out wide and stretched their lead with an unconverted try.

This galvanised the Trentham pack and they had a purple patch when they started to dominate the big Burton forwards. Time was however running out for them and a tactical change on the wing was made bringing Leon on for Will Devey. The Trentham pack were now starting to win more ball and Tristian and Sullivan in the centres continued to try and smash their way through, but Burton's tackling held firm. After a number of recycled phases Sullivan set off down the wing outpacing the opposition and beating the cover tackler to score under the posts only to be brought back by the referee after the touch judge controversially deemed his foot was in touch.

Trentham continued with the attacking play and were finally rewarded when they eventually moved the ball wide and Ben Gibson came into the line outside Ben Twigg to score in the corner. The conversion was missed.

The final 10 minutes however were Burton's as Trentham's centres could find no way through and their forwards began to tire. Burtons defence was fierce if sometimes pushing the offside boundaries and their tackling on the edge of legal. The referee was not interested however and penalised Trenthams captain for his appeals.

Burton finished strongly with two more converted tries to give them a well earned victory being far the better side on the day.

Well done to both sides for a truly entertaining, if not a little disappointing for Trentham, game played in the true spirit of rugby.

Final score Burton 31 Trentham 10

Tries: Elijah Stone; Ben Gibson. Man of the Match Ben Gibson