Mini-revival is ended as Burton struggle to keep score down against in-form visitors
Burton Albion’s flaws were brutally exposed by high-flying Stockport County, as the Brewers’ recent mini-revival came to a halt in a 3-0 defeat at the Pirelli Stadium. Albion barely got a sniff, while the visitors’ passing was smooth and accurate, resulting in a slew of opportunities – they could have won by twice as many.
The Burton line-up was familiar, with Udoka Godwin-Malife returning to the starting lineup following his recent hernia injury. Former Brewer Sam Hughes was on Stockport’s bench.
In the first minute, both teams shot long balls too far, putting the potentially challenging wind to the test. Ryan Rydel had a shot within the area saved by Max Crocombe in the second minute, but an offside flag was raised as the referee permitted play to continue.
Mason Bennett lost the ball near halfway in the tenth minute, and his late challenge on Fraser Horsfall resulted in the game’s first booking. He proceeded to have a completely anonymous first half. Stockport’s early efforts consisted of retaining the ball at the back and then playing bad long balls forward, but they gained more early possession and, ominously, began to make better use of it.
In the 17th minute, Louie Barry cut in from the left and found a yard of space, but his shot from 20 yards went wide. However, Stockport continued to press and won the first corner, from the left, in the 18th minute. They cut it short, and Crocombe won the eventual cross. Within a minute, Godwin-Malife had surged away and won Burton’s first right-hand corner. They also played it short, and the move failed.
Ollie Norwood’s free kick on the right reached Horsfall at the far post in the 22nd minute, but he volleyed it high over the bar. Stockport had another free kick near the right touchline in the 25th minute, and captain Elliot Watt, who had surrendered it, appeared to be booked for his reaction rather than the foul itself, a horrible way to earn his fifth yellow of the season and thus a ban if so. Crocombe pushed the free kick away.
Godwin-Malife sprinted down the right again in the 27th minute and crossed first time, but the ball evaded Danilo Orsi, while Callum Connolly blasted well wide for Stockport when a chance presented itself 20 yards away.
However, Stockport surged away from a Burton corner in the 30th minute and seized the lead. Charlie Webster miscontrolled as the ball was partially cleared to him, and the visitors sprinted away. Jack Armer’s challenge appeared to have ended the threat, but Burton was unable to clear the ball, and it fell kindly for Lewis Bate to poke into the net from close range. It was the type of goal Burton had conceded in the season’s early stages, and it gave Stockport a confidence boost.
In the 42nd minute, they made it 2-0 with an outstanding straight goal from keeper Ben Hinchliffe’s measured pass forward, which was wonderfully flicked on by Kyle Wootton for Barry to rush on and slot to Crocombe’s left. Burton were now firmly under pressure after a relatively level first half, despite the visitors’ possession.
In first-half stoppage time, Wootton connected with a stinging volley from 15 yards, forcing Crocombe to dive high to his right and turn the ball over the bar. Burton had had a disappointing half.
At halftime, they made two changes: Jack Hazlehurst made his debut, replacing Alex Bannon, and Billy Bodin replaced Bennett, who had barely had a kick. Burton switched to three at the back, and Hazlehurst immediately looked like a man eager to make up for lost time as he flew around on the right.
Godwin-Malife made a promising run from the right to the edge of the box before the assault broke down in the 52nd minute. When Burton broke from a Stockport corner a minute later, owing to Hazlehurst’s interception, Tomas Kalinauskas failed to play Webster clear, and his pass was stopped. Stockport’s passing had been noticeably more precise and incisive.
Barry picked up the ball on the left and raced away from defenders, leaving Terence Vancooten for dead before slamming a shot across Crocombe and into the far corner. It was clinical stuff from League One’s top scorer, who almost had another in the 64th minute with a shot Crocombe acrobatically deflected to his right.
Webster’s 20-yard shot, simple for Hinchliffe, was the first he had to make in the 67th minute, and Crocombe had to fly to his right again a minute later to save from the furious Barry.
Burton replaced Godwin-Malife and Orsi with Jack Cooper-Love and Ben Whitfield in the 71st minute, while Stockport’s triple change at the same time resulted in Barry’s withdrawal.
Kalinauskas stole the ball on the left in the 75th minute and broke forward, his shot not going too wide. In the 77th minute, he also won a free kick on the left side of the box, but when Watt sent it low to the edge of the box, Bodin fired far over.
Still, Stockport appeared to be adding to their lead as they attacked in numbers, and former Brewer Hughes was one of two further changes made in the 82nd minute, but there was little else to report until the merciful end of a completely miserable day for Burton.
Read more …https://sportupdates.co.uk/
Leave a Reply