Park used the opportunity to give game time to a wealth of players through all levels at the club while their hosts stayed true to a tight knit squad fiercely dedicated to the cause.
With expectations high for the season ahead and so many players to manage, the visitors never gained any dominance in a frustrating afternoon’s work.
Playing out of a community hall with no windows, and on a council owned pitch with no lines, Burbage were an easy opponent to underestimate.
Keeping the game tight and focusing on their basics, Burbage kept the ball for long spells and capitalised on Park’s ring-rusty errors.
None of their tries were owing to slick play nor individual brilliance, just kicking open a door which had all too often been left ajar.
Burbage’s first try came from the first of a perplexing series of decisions from a referee specialising in the pedantic.
But a quick thinking player tapped and drove, the tackle didn’t stick and a supporting player wriggled over the “end zone” in the absence of a line.
Park hit back through loose head prop Adam Lawrence who somehow found a clear run from 25 metres out from a break down to romp home untouched – the conversion from Joyce brought the scores level.
Into the second quarter of the game, it was another loose head prop Chris Goode – who played at hooker and on the flank during the afternoon – who emerged from beneath a pile of bodies from a rolling maul to give Manor a 12-7 lead.
Burbage’s best spell of the game came with a period of pressure befoNre the half-time whistle and once again Manor seemed weak defending their own line – Burbage’s experienced players using their knowhow to engineer another close range score to tie the scores at 12-12 at half time.
Park’s disorganisation born from multiple changes was capitalised upon as a quick line out from 20 metres out earned Burbage good field position and ultimately a try in the corner.
It was a frustrating afternoon especially for Manor’s backs, with new signings Andy Redman, Lewis Brightmore, Simon Wilson and Simon Tunnicliffe all struggling for opportunities to shine.
But the returning Tunnicliffe did show the opponents a clean pair of heels in the third quarter romping free from the half way line and the conversion saw Park edge 19-17 ahead.
It was to be the last highlight for Park as two individual errors were directly responsible for runaway tries, coupled with a referee now allowing a free for all at the break down and seemingly wavering the offside law for anyone in green and white.
But, as Manor experienced on occasions last season, sometimes you must adjust your game and adapt to officiating – and limit its impact on the game.
Mixed in with the disappointment of coughing up six tries were some positives for Park, with multiple fringe players and newcomers getting game time against a strong, streetwise outfit.
With only a few substitutes to call upon, Burbage indeed did not have a “weaker” squad to field and it showed as they capitalised on defensive disorganisation.
The score line is immaterial in a trial game, but any defeat hurts – what matters most now is Manor go back to the drawing board and come up with the goods to take down visitors Barton next weekend.