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| January 1999 News | |
Saturday 30th January 1999 Garner - in the groove again Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Grantham Town 2 Burton Albion 3 The wide-open spaces of the South Kesteven Stadium proved once again a happy hunting ground for Nigel Clough on Saturday, as the Brewers boss inspired his team to victory there for the second time this season. This was a most welcome three points for the Brewers, salvaging something from a January which went rapidly downhill after the New Years Day victory at Gresley. And who should spearhead this return to form but Andy Garner - the veteran striker finding the scoresheet for the first time since September, not once but twice, as Albion fought back to recover from the worst possible start. Full match report... Tuesday 26th January 1999 Third time unlucky for Brewers FA Umbro Trophy Third Round: Altrincham 1 Burton Albion 0 Altrincham's ace-marksman Leroy Chambers put Albion out of the FA Trophy last night, as the swamp-like Moss Lane pitch finally passed inspection at the third attempt. The highly-rated striker earned his team a trip to Aldershot Town in Round Four courtesy of a blistering 74th minute shot, just as an Eton Park replay looked on the cards. Nigel Clough had reverted to a 4-4-2 formation, with Andy Garner returning to partner David Holmes upfront, but the impotence of the Brewers' forward line was there for all to see. Full Match Report... Saturday 23rd January 1999 It's the late, late Linnets show Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Burton Albion 0 King's Lynn 1 An uncharacteristic slip from skipper Mark Blount deep into injury time handed bottom club King's Lynn three precious points in their battle for Premier Division survival, and plunged Albion deeper into the mire themselves. This was the Brewers' third successive home defeat, and they now sit precariously just one place above the drop zone. Albion had the chances to kill off the game in the second half, but were denied time and again by visiting keeper Chuck Martini. He may sound more like a porn star than a footballer, but his goalkeeping kept the Linnets in this game. Full Match Report... Thursday 21st January 1999 Brewers get Bradbury seal of approval Dr. Martens League Cup: Atherstone United 1 Burton Albion 1 Will wonders never cease? Not only did the Brewers not lose against their bogey team but Atherstone manager Ron Bradbury actually found something good to say about the Albion after last night's 1-1 draw between the two clubs in the Dr. Martens League Cup. "That's the best performance I've ever seen by a Burton team against us" gushed the blunt-talking Adders boss, who has in the past had few good words to say about his "big club" neighbours. "Their passing and movement was fabulous and at one stage I thought they were going to slaughter us." Bradbury was speaking to the Burton Mail, apparently on speaking terms with the paper again, after they upset him last season by referring to his team as a bunch of "has beens and never will be's". Last night's result means Albion have another match to cram into their increasingly hectic schedule, with Altrincham officials still working on their pitch in an attempt to get it playable for the re-scheduled FA Trophy tie on Monday. In last night's game, Leon Kelly opened the scoring for Atherstone on 21 minutes, with Darren Stride equalising for the Brewers fifteen minutes later. The game was watched by 191 hardy souls at Sheepy Road, with an Eton Park replay to be held on a date to be arranged. The winners of the tie will be at home to Dr. Martens Midland Division side Bilston Town in the third round. Meanwhile the Brewers are at home this Saturday, when bottom of the table King's Lynn come to Eton Park (Kick-Off 3pm), before the third attempt at the game at Altrincham on Monday (Kick-Off 7.30pm). Tuesday 19th January 1999 Game postponed for second time The Brewers' re-arranged FA Trophy match at Altrincham tonight has been postponed following an afternoon pitch inspection at Moss Lane. The tie was due to be staged on Saturday but was called off an hour and a quarter before kick-off due an "unplayable" surface. Altrincham now plan to re-lay turf in the offending area of their pitch - the centre circle- in an attempt to get the surface playable for the new scheduled date for the tie - next Monday, 25th January (Kick-Off 7.30pm). Should the weather also put a stop to that game on that day, Thursday 28th January has also been pencilled in as a possible date for the Third Round tie, with an away trip to Aldershot Town awaiting the eventual winners. Meanwhile, tonight's postponement means Albion will attempt to play their Dr. Martens League Cup tie at Atherstone tomorrow - Wednesday 20th January (Kick-Off 7.30 pm) - weather permitting! Saturday 16th January 1999 "Washed-out" Brewers travel in vain The Brewers' match at Altrincham was called off due to a waterlogged pitch at 1.45 this afternoon, by which time some travelling Albion supporters were already arriving at the Moss Lane ground for the FA Trophy Third Round tie. Callers to Altrincham this morning were assured that the match was "definitely on", and that there would be no need for a pitch invasion, but referee Paul Jostin of Newick ruled the pitch unplayable in a 1.45 inspection, after finding the centre circle ankle-deep in mud. According to the Unibond League club, "only one person in the ground didn't want the game to go ahead" - the referee. However this is little consolation to the travelling fans who's 70-mile journey North was in vain - as well as the club and supporters club coaches, Marston's Brewery were running a 72-seat coach to the game. It's the second time in a week that Albion have had a match postponed at short notice - Monday's Dr. Martens League Cup tie at Atherstone also fell victim to the weather. The match at Altrincham has been re-arranged for this Tuesday, 19th January - Kick-Off 7.30pm. Saturday 9th January 1999 Ten-man Terras' "smash 'n' grab" raid Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Burton Albion 1 Weymouth 2 Weymouth grabbed all three points from this mid-table Dr. Martens League clash at Eton Park, despite spending more than an hour of it with only ten men, after defender Simon Browne was sent off. The Brewers dominated the match but were unable to turn their possession into goals, and slip to their sixth home defeat of the season. Full Match Report... Thursday 7th January 1999 Gresley quit rumours "complete rubbish" Gresley Rovers have hit back at speculation on this website about their future in the Dr. Martens Premier League. In an article on the back page of tonight's Burton Mail, Gresley financial director Lance Luckhurst dismisses rumours - founding from a message posted to the BrewersNet Forum this week - that the Moatmen were to voluntarily drop down to the Midland Division due to financial difficulties and the state of their ground. "This is complete and utter rubbish" says Mr. Luckhurst, "I don't know who writes these things on the Internet but it simply isn't true." In tonight's Burton Mail story, Mr. Luckhurst also mysteriously refers to another story written about Gresley on the internet last year, which the club had considered taking legal action against. The message which caused this week's denial from Gresley was posted by Worcester City fan Chris Rock, who was merely reporting rumours he had heard elsewhere, and was not in any way portrayed as "fact", by this site. In fact most people who heard this rumour would have taken it with more than a pinch of salt. You can read the full text of the Burton Mail article in MediaWatch, a new section of BrewersNet... Tuesday 5th January 1999 Garner says "No" to Gresley Albion striker Andy Garner has turned down the chance to return to Gresley Rovers. Increasingly under-fire Gresley boss Garry Birtles had hoped to sign Garner on a month's loan to bolster his attack after a disastorous Christmas spell in which the Moatmen lost all five of their games and failed to score a single goal. 32-year old Garner, who joined the Brewers two seasons ago after resigning as Birtles' assistant at the Moat Ground, was allowed to consider a return to his old club, but decided his future was with Nigel Clough at Eton Park, despite his being left out of the first eleven in recent games by the Brewers boss "I've no problem with Garry Birtles or Gresley as a club, but my priority is to prove myself to Nigel," say's Garner in tonight's Burton Mail. "I know I'm getting a bit of stick from the crowd, but I'm determied to work hard to get back into the team." Clough welcomed Garner's decision, saying "His (Garner's) attitude has been spot on and I'm sure that he will get another chance before the season is out." Garner's rejection of Gresley comes as another setback to Garry Birtles, who has recently spoken of his frustration at the lack of funds available to bring new players to the Moat Ground. Sunday 3rd January 1999 Pilgrims progress, Brewers stumble Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Burton Albion 0 Boston United 2 The Brewers' hopes of completing a one hundred percent record over the festive period were brought to an end on Sunday, as Boston United completed the league double over Nigel Clough's team. Albion have improved rapidly since the Pilgrims put four past them at York Street a month ago, but here they simply ran out of steam, as the effects of four games in eight days finally took it's toll. Full Match Report... Friday 1st January 1999 Dream double as Brewers storm into '99 Dr. Martens League Premier Division: Gresley Rovers 0 Burton Albion 2 Albion carried on in 1999 where they left off in '98, with another three points to continue their rapid ascent of the Dr. Martens League. Four wins in a row now for Nigel Clough's team, who complete the league double over their South Derbyshire rivals without really having to break sweat. Gresley boss Garry Birtles re-shuffled his pack, dropping three of the names who started at Eton Park on Boxing Day, but his team showed little to encourage the home fans in a crowd of just under two thousand. In contrast to the Brewers' fine run of form, Gresley have now lost the last four games, and this result completed a dismal Christmas period for the Moatmen. Full Match Report... |
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