B r e w e r s N e t - News and Reports

The Brewers made a dream start to this Bank Holiday Monday clash at the New Manor Ground, taking the lead after less than two minutes. In fact, your BrewersNet correspondent was still making his way into the ground when Pat Lyons latched onto a mammoth, end-to-end Nick Goodwin goal kick to slot home his first goal of the season, with Robins' keeper Chris Marples distracted by the close attentions of David Holmes. The early goal was a statement of intent from a rapidly improving Brewers team who's confidence seems to rise with every match these days. Full Match Report...

Nigel Clough celebrated victory in part one of the festive double-header, his Albion team triumphing over that of fellow ex-Forest man Garry Birtles, as local rivals Gresley were sent back across the Trent Bridge with tails between their legs. A bumper Boxing Day crowd of 2,103 saw the Brewers in control for most of what was - as these games so often are - a largely scrappy affair. Not that there wasn't much to cheer Burton hearts, quite the opposite. Not only was this the second victory under Clough's managership - the first came last week at Tamworth - it was also their second successive clean sheet. In his first days at the club Clough had stressed the importance of not conceding goals, and two months on - there are encouraging signs his players are finally getting the message, with their manager now leading by example on the pitch. Full Match Report...

Nigel Clough and Garry Birtles go head to head over the festive period, and there'll be no love lost between these two Nottingham Forest old boys as their teams meet in a Dr. Martens League double-header this Christmas. Albion take on local rivals Gresley Rovers at Eton Park on Boxing Day (Kick-Off 11.30am), with the return at the Moat Ground on New Years Day (Kick-Off 3pm), with the Brewers aiming not just for the league points they sorely need to climb back up the table, but for local pride over their near neighbours who once more look down on the Brewers from on high in the Dr. Martens League.

It's two months since Nigel Clough took over the Eton Park hotseat, and there have been signs recently that his team have turned the corner after a disastorous run of league form which left them stranded in the relegation zone. The first league win under the new reigime came at Tamworth last week, and with a glut of matches over the festive period, including another local derby trip to Ilkeston on Bank Holiday Monday, and a home match against the Boston United team who put four past Albion at York Street earlier this month, there are crucial league points up for grabs which could make or break the Brewers' season.

The Brewers' poor start to the season cost Clough's predecessor John Barton his job back in September. Gresley, by contrast, surprised once again with a storming start to the season which saw them snapping at the heels of runaway leaders Nuneaton. Results for Rovers have tailed off recently, with Moat boss Farry Birtles delivering an on-field lecture to his players after Saturday's dismal 1-0 reversal at home to Grantham. The Moatmen, however, still find themselves some thirteen places above the Brewers in the league table, and Birtles will be able to select from a full squad of players, after fielding his reserve team for Tuesday's 8-1 aggregate thrashing by Tamworth in the Dr. Martens League Cup.

		P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
5	Gresley Rovers	17	10	2	5	26	19	32
18	Burton Albion	18	6	3	9	22	28	21

Unlike Clough - still a novice in the crazy world of non-league football, Birtles is a relative veteran of these games, having watched Gresley do the double over the Brewers in their Championship winning 1996-97 season as Paul Futcher's assistant, and witnessed a victory and a defeat last season - his first as Gresley manager. It's a hoary old cliche, but form really does go out of the window for these matches, and only a fool would try and predict which side will emerge victorious. One thing is for certain, the battle for East Staffordshire / South Derbyshire supremacy will be as fiercely fought as ever.

Nigel Clough took a leading role in this Staffordshire derby naming himself in the starting line-up for the first time in a league game, and inspiring his troops to their first league victory since he took over as manager. Clough was at the heart of a five-man midfield as the new-look Brewers showed a much improved performance on the poor run of form which saw them plummet into the Dr. Martens League relegation zone, giving thei supporters some long overdue festive cheer in the last match before the big Boxing Day clash with Gresley. Full Match Report...

Dave Benton has parted company with the Brewers. The 28 year-old defender/midfielder, signed from Worcester City three years ago, quit the club after being dropped for Saturday's goalless draw with Rothwell Town, but insists this wasn't a factor in his departure. According to the Burton Mail, neither has the arrival of Nigel Clough as manager anything to do with Benton's decision to leave. "I happen to think that he (Clough) is the best thing that could happen to this club. I've been very impressed with him and I honestly believe, given time and a bit of patience, he'll turn things round." says Benton, who has already been tailed by a clutch of Dr. Martens Midland Divisoin sides this season.

Meanwhile, Albion have finally found out who they will play in the Second Round of the Dr. Martens League Cup. The Brewers must travel to Atherstone United a week on Tuesday (December 22nd), after the Adders came from behind to beat local rivals Nuneaton Borough 3-1 at Manor Park tonight. Atherstone win 5-2 on aggregate.

It's the pantomime season, and Albion striker Andy Garner entered into the spirit of things with a glaring 84th minute miss which left most of the pre-Christmas audience of 576 thinking "Oh no! He didn't!??". The blunder, which cost the Brewers a first league victory since September, further depleted Garner's standing in the eyes of a crowd who had already cast him as the villain, after another "ineffective" performance upfront. The fact that this was the Brewers first clean sheet of the season in the Dr. Martens League was little consolation for their failure to collect three points which would have made an ideal early Christmas present for Nigel Clough. Full Match Report...

The Brewers were spared another long away trip when Tuesday evening's game at Cambridge City was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Milton Road. The match - already postponed once due to Albion's involvement in the FA Cup - will be rearranged for a date as yet unknown.After Saturday's 0-0 draw against Rothwell, it's local derbys all the way through Christmas, with Tamworth away this Saturday ,19th December (Kick-Off 3pm), Ilkeston Town away on Monday the 28th (Kick-Off 3pm), and of course the double-header with Gresley Rovers, at Eton Park on Boxing Day (Kick-Off 11.30am), and at the Moat Ground on New Years Day (Kick-Off 3pm).

Nigel Clough's team travelled through the frozen wastes of Lincolnshire looking for some pre-Christmas cheer to boost their ailing Dr. Martens League campaign, but they found cold comfort on a bitter Winter's afternoon at York Street. Albion had yet to keep a clean sheet in fifteen league games this season, and that dismal record was continued just 47 seconds into this match - Andrew Stanhope latching on to a header from former Ilkeston striker Matt Carmichael to drive a low shot into the corner of the net, giving the Brewers the worst possible start. Full Match Report...

The Brewers exited from the Birmingham Senior Cup on Tuesday evening, losing 4-1 to Kings Norton Town. With most first team regulars again rested for this competition following the previous night's friendly against Derby, Nigel Clough chose to give youth a chance, the Brewers boss himself lining up in a team of mostly up and coming young players. Defenders Ross Mays, Chris Bradshaw and Michael Allsopp all started, as did Ruben Francis, Aaron Webster and Emeka Ejiofor - who has since gone on loan to Moor Green. New signing Wayne Sutton also made the starting line-up, as did Brendan Hackett, but the midfielder suffered more bad luck - being taken off with a twisted knee in his first match back after a lengthy injury.

Ruben Francis put Albion in front after 31 minutes, but the Interlink Express Alliance side equalised through Foley three minutes later. Goals from Rowlands (51), Dunn from the penalty spot on 81 minutes, and Pippard (84) took the visitors through to the third round of the competition, in a match watched by just 116 die-hard spectators at Eton Park - Albion's lowest crowd for many years, though not surprising considering the traditional lack of appeal of the Birmingham Senior Cup, the fact that the Brewers had played Derby the previous night, and that they have been at home so often recently. The last away league match was at Bath City way back on the 10th October!

That will all be made up for when Saturday's trip to Boston is followed by another far from inviting long distance trek to Cambridge City on Tuesday evening, (8th December, Kick-Off 7.30pm). Then on Saturday, Rothwell Town visit Eton Park (Kick-Off 3pm), with work on building the new roof over the Derby Road end expected to be completed for this game. After that it's local derbys all the way through Christmas, with Tamworth away on Saturday 19th December, Ilkeston Town away on Monday the 28th, and of course the double-header with Gresley Rovers, at Eton Park on Boxing Day (Kick-Off 11.30am), and at the Moat Ground on New Years Day (Kick-Off 3pm).


December 1998 News	1998-99 Archive