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| November 1998 News | |
Monday 30th November 1998 Ejiofor stunner silences Rams Friendly: Burton Albion 3 Derby County 1 Goals from Craig Smith, David Holmes and a stunner from Emeka Ejiofor earned the Brewers a victory against Premiership neighbours Derby, in a match arranged to commemorate the official switching on of the clubs new £80,000 floodlights. In an entertaining contest in front of just over a thousand spectators Derby, who included such star names as Stefano Eranio, Deon Burton and Stefan Schnoor in their team, were denied by the crossbar and some superb goalkeeping from Nick Goodwin, as they attempted to overturn Craig Smith's 47th minute opener for the Brewers. Full Match Report... Saturday 28th November 1998 Gingerbreads take the biscuit Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Burton Albion 0 Grantham Town 1 A stunning strike from Robert Pell sent Albion crashing into the Dr. Martens League bottom five, as the inconsistency which dogged John Barton's time at the club reared it's head once more. Full Match Report... Tuesday 24th November 1998 Albion go to 'Alty' in Trophy The Brewers will travel to Moss Lane in January to play Altrincham in the Third Round of the FA Umbro Trophy, after the Unibond League side beat Burscough 3-1 in Tuesday night's second round replay. Altrincham are currently just one place behind Bamber Bridge - who the Brewers thrashed 5-0 at Eton Park in Saturday's second round match - in the Unibond League Premier Division. Altrincham are one of the most successful non-league sides of recent times, with an enviable record in the FA Trophy. In a recently compiled table of clubs' overall record in the competition, the Robins ranked second most successful Trophy side of all time, behind only Telford United (the Brewers clocked in at number 18). They won the competition in 1986, were beaten finalists in 1982, and also enjoyed a string of giant-killings and FA Cup Third Round appearances in the late 70's and early to mid-80's. Founder members and twice Champions of the Conference, the club were relegated for the first time in their history in 1996-97 to the Unibond League, where they have remained since. In other ties involving Dr. Marten's Premier League sides, Boston United enjoy an all-Lincolnshire tie at Gainsborough Trinity after disposing of Worksop. In the Southern section of the draw meanwhile, Weymouth and Hastings Town are both at home - to Sutton United and St Albans City respectively. Crawley Town play Yeading or Chesham United after overcoming Sittingbourne in their replay, and Worcester City must travel to Dr. Martens Southern League Havant & Waterlooville. All matches to take place Saturday, 16th January (3pm kick-off). Saturday 21st November 1998 Five-star Albion's Trophy tonic FA Umbro Trophy 2nd Round: Burton Albion 5 Bamber Bridge 0 The Brewers put the disappointment of last week's FA Cup exit behind them, with a five-goal demolition of Bamber Bridge to book their passage into the Third Round of the FA Trophy. All five goals came in a blistering second half display which saw the Unibond Premier Division side ripped to shreds by the running and pace of David Holmes, with the BrewersNet sponsored striker having a hand in nearly all the goals and netting one himself for good measure. Full match report... Tuesday 17th November 1998 Magic 'Meka has Moor to offer Dr. Martens League Cup First Round, 2nd Leg: Burton Albion 4 Moor Green 1 Emeka Ejiofor grabbed another two goals to add to his first-leg brace to knock Moor Green out of the Dr. Martens League Cup 6-3 on aggregate, at a fog-bound Eton Park. And new signing Wayne Sutton also bagged two on his Brewers debut. Sutton, 23 -a defender/ midfielder - became Nigel Clough's first signing when he joined the club on Sunday on a non-contract basis from Woking. Sutton previously played in the first-team at Derby County before joining the Conference side. Full Match Report... Saturday 14th November 1998 K's K-O Clough Cup hopes FA Cup First Round Proper: Kingstonian 1 Burton Albion 0 A battling performance from the Brewers in deepest Surrey couldn't prevent Kingstonian from progressing to the Second Round, and a money-spinning home tie against Leyton Orient. Albion were more than a match for their Conference counterparts for long periods of the game, but ultimately the Brewers' lack of pace and power upfront proved the key difference between the two sides, with K's star player Gavin Holligan netting the only goal of a tightly fought contest - probably his last for Kingstonian, as the 18 year-old is expected to sign with Premiership West Ham United next week. Full Match Report... Tuesday 10th November 1998 Cloughie's Cup rest for first team Dr. Martens League Cup First Round 1st Leg: Moor Green 2 Burton Albion 2 Brewers boss Nigel Clough opted to rest the bulk of the team which lost to Atherstone on Saturday for the Dr. Martens League Cup match at Moor Green, in advance of Saturday's crucial FA Cup clash at Kingstonian. Clough and his assistant Gary Crosby were part of an experimental line-up of mostly fringe players which drew 2-2 at the Moorlands, but veteran midfielder Steve Spooner returned to the side after injury. Emeka Ejiofor gave the Brewers a 2-0 half-time lead with a 32nd minute header, and a 25 yard shot just before the interval, but Moor Green recovered after the break with two goals from Nick Lamorte to leave the tie nicely poised for the second leg at Eton Park next Tuesday (17th November). As far as Clough is concerned, the real Cup test for his side comes on Saturday when the Brewers travel to Surrey to play Conference side Kingstonian in the FA Cup First Round (kick-off 3pm). The K's are currently fifth in the Conference, and have in 18-year old striker Gavin Holligan one of the hottest properties in non-league soccer. Kingstonian boss Geoff Chapple has reportedly recieved six-figure bids from league clubs for the signature of the player who's been dubbed the"Michael Owen" of non-league football. Brewers fans will be hoping for a much improved performance on Saturday's dismal 3-0 defeat at home to Atherstone, if their team are to progress past the First Round stage. Full coverage of the game at Kingsmeadow will appear here on BrewersNet from late Saturday. Saturday 7th November 1998 Adders nightmare returns to haunt Albion Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Burton Albion 0 Atherstone United 3 Halloween came a week late at Eton Park. The perpetrators of this nightmare November afternoon - Atherstone United - the perennial thorn in Albion sides. Ron Bradbury's well-drilled troops brought Nigel Clough's "honeymoon period" to an end with three second half goals - it could have been four - which stunned, though probably didn't surprise the 960 crowd, for this was Atherstone's sixteenth victory in the past nineteen meetings between the two sides. Full Match Report... Thursday 5th November 1998 Cloughie gets his kit on Nigel Clough made his Albion playing debut in less than salubrious surroundings on Wednesday night - in front of just 75 shivering spectators at Stratford Town's Mason's Road ground ,in the Brewers' Birningham Senior Cup First Round Replay there. And to add to the surreal atmosphere of Clough's return to first team football, the match was delayed after 10 minutes due to floodlight failure! The Brewers' player-manager lined up along side a team made up entirely of reserve team players, as the first team was rested following the previous night's league match with Nuneaton. The Brewers nevertheless won the game 2-1, with goals from Chris Bradshaw and highly rated youngster Ruben Francis. The scorer for Interlink Alliance side Stratford was a bloke named Mark Shaw. Albion now go on to round two and a "glamour tie" (ahem) at home to King's Norton Town - also of the Interlink Alliance. Tuesday 3rd November 1998 Holmes strike earns point for Brewers Dr. Martens League: Burton Albion 1 Nuneaton Borough 1 David Holmes pulled out another wonder-goal to earn Albion a point against their high-flying neighbours - the third time the teams have met this season. The BrewersNet sponsored striker's second half lob equalised Richie Gardner's opener for Boro', and Nick Goodwin produced two wonderful second half saves to keep Albion in the match. Full Match Report... Tuesday 3rd November 1998 Capital-bound in Cup First Round The Brewers will head for the Capital in the next round of the FA Cup. Kingstonian beat St Albans 5-4 on penalties in last night's Fourth Qualifying Round replay at Kingsmeadow, to earn the right to host Albion in the First Round Proper. The "K's" are currently fourth in the Conference, and the journey to leafy Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, a week on Saturday (November 14th - Kick-Off 3pm) will pose the sternest test yet for Nigel Clough since his arrival as manager. This match comes in the middle of a glut of Cup ties for the Brewers. Tonight (Wednesday 4th - Kick-Off 7.30pm), Nigel Clough will take a team to Stratford Town to complete the twice-rearranged Birmingham Senior Cup tie, next Tuesday (10th November - 7.30pm) the Brewers travel to Moor Green in the Dr. Martens League Cup First Round 1st Leg, with the return leg at Eton Park on 24th November. A fortnight on Saturday (21st November - 3pm) Bamber Bridge are the visitors in the FA Umbro Trophy. Inbetween all this, Albion attempt to regain some ground in the Dr. Martens League at home to Atherstone United this Saturday (7th November - Kick-Off 3pm). And all this Cup activity means that the Brewers have to fit in somewhere away league trips to Dorchester, Gloucester and Cambridge. The Brewers seem to have the least attractive fixture of all the Dr. Martens Premier sides still involved in the FA Cup. Tamworth pulled out a home tie against Exeter City, Gresley and Crawley will also face league opposition - Walsall away and Macclesfield away respectively - if they can win their Fourth Qualifying Round replays. Worcester City demolished Langney Sports 7-0 in their re-arranged match, to earn a home tie against Torquay United. Salisbury City acheived a similar scoreline - 6-0 - to win themselves a money-spinning First Round match at home to Hull City. |
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