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| October 1998 Match Reports | |
Saturday 31st October 1998 Brewers scrape through in grim struggle FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round: Morpeth Town 0 Burton Albion 1 It was billed as the biggest match in Morpeth Town history, and the Northern League side came close to pulling off an upset at Craik Park - a ground with the appearance of a rundown dog-track, who's location and windswept nature provided little comfort for the Brewers after an epic journey to one of football's Northernmost outposts (see it for yourself in next week's Grandstand "Football Focus" feature on Nigel Clough). This rural, picturesque county town might not be your stereotypical North-East "football hotbed", but their team's presence in this stage of the competition for the first time in it's history, combined with the new found "glamour appeal" of the Brewers' new manager, and swelled by 200 visiting supporters - drew the club's biggest crowd for years. The Morpeth manager, speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle after the game, criticized his players for "lacking commitment", and for not performing to their full ability. If they had, Albion could have experienced their own personal Halloween nightmare, as - even with a supposedly below-par performance- the Northern Leaguers came painfully close to earning a replay. Keeper Nick Goodwin - making his landmark 400th Albion appearance - had to be on top form as Albion sweated out a prolonged period of Morpeth pressure in the second half. Nigel Clough declined the opportunity to name himself as a substitute, sticking with the same line-up that beat Grantham on Tuesday, except for the return of Andy Garner in place of Craig Smith. The one moment of interest in a dour first half was David Holmes' 24th minute cross-cum-shot which somehow crept into the net with keeper McNary distracted by the rapidly advancing bald head of Garner. Darren Stride hit the crossbar immediately after the interval, but soon Morpeth began to dominate possesion - with home striker Leech bringing out the first of several important saves by Goodwin. Clough had stressed that getting a result was more important than the performance, and he wasn't kidding - winger Aaron Webster was replaced by defender Matt Smith as the Brewers prepared for a rearguard action in the later stages. David Holmes fluffed a chance to kill off the game, shooting wide with only the keeper to beat, but as the second half developed Morpeth were looking more and more threatening. Darren Stride had to clear off the line, and Goodwin made a string of fine saves to deny Morpeth a deserved equaliser. Three Albion players were booked for time-wasting - a reflection of their grim struggle to hold on to the lead in the later stages. The Brewers cling on to book a place in the First Round proper . Mission accomplished - just.
Tuesday 27th October 1998 The power of Clough! FA Umbro Trophy First Round Replay: Grantham Town 0 Burton Albion 3 Nigel Clough got his managerial career off to a winning start, as the Brewers overcame a potentially difficult FA Trophy hurdle with a thoroughly commanding performance amidst the wide open spaces of Grantham's rain-soaked South Kesteven Stadium. Clough - appointed as Brewers boss last Friday - was taking charge of team affairs for the first time, and wasted no time in remoulding the team Steve Spooner and Andy Garner had guided to only one defeat in six games. As promised, Clough opted to change to a 4-4-2 formation, with Aaron Webster being given a starting role on the right wing. Tony Marsden was also recalled to midfield after returning from suspension. Steady rain over Lincolnshire had made the pitch slippery without being too heavy underfoot, and the stalemate of Saturday's game was replaced by a much more open contest. But if Grantham believed that the hard work had been done at Eton Park, they were mistaken. Albion were looking assured on the ball and secure at the back, and were in front after twenty minutes. Pat Lyons' cross in from the right was cleared away by the Grantham defence, but only as far as Darren Grocutt, who fired in his first goal of the season from 12 yards. His second was not long in coming - Webster's corner on the half hour headed on by Blount and Grocutt arriving to power home at the far post. The game was effectively over by half-time, and though Grantham began to push forward more after the interval, the Brewers were happy to soak up the pressure, and apart from a fine reflex save by Goodwin on 56 minutes, the Burton goal rarely looked threatened. As the rain lashed down, Grantham's hopes of bettering last season's Quarter Final place looked to be draining away, and the Brewers finally sank them on 75 minutes. Mark Blount - looking more assured at the heart of defence with each match, proved that he can also nick the odd goal from time to time. His conversion of another Lyons free-kick seemed to float past keeper Moulds in slow motion - Blount's first goal since the opening day of the season at Rothwell - how much has changed in that time! The Brewers received a standing ovation at the end from their travelling supporters - a fine performance marred only by an injury to Darren Stride - stretchered off after going for a challenge in typically full blooded fashion. However, with progress in the Trophy assured, Albion can now look forward to the long trip to Morpeth Town in the FA Cup on Saturday with renewed confidence. Also looming on the horizon now is a home match against Bamber Bridge in the next round of this competition on November 21st - with the scheduled away league trip to Gloucester joining the growing queue of matches waiting to be re-arranged. The Bamber Bridge game will bring back memories of a thrilling tie between the sides three years ago, also in this competition - at the Third Qualifying Round stage. The Brewers were trailing 3-0 at home to the then leaders of the Unibond League - before levelling at 3-3 with an astonishing late fight-back. John Barton's team went on to win the replay in Lancashire 3-2. Bamber Bridge went on to win the title that season, but were denied promotion to the Conference due to the inadequate state of their Irongate ground. Since then they've just about managed to hang on to their Premier Division status, and are currently - like the Brewers - thirteenth in the league.
Saturday 24th October 1998 Clough to take charge for Trophy replay FA Umbro Trophy First Round: Burton Albion 0 Grantham Town 0 After all the hype and publicity over the appoitment of Nigel Clough as the Brewers' new manager, this match was something of an anti-climax. The press photographers spent most of the first half with their lenses trained on Clough and his assistant Gary Crosby up in the stand, and there certainly wasn't much going on on the pitch to distract them. A disappointingly small crowd huddled under cover to escape the atrocious conditions - only the superior quality of the Eton Park turf and the sterling work of the groundstaff had allowed this game to go ahead in spite of the heavy rain which disrupted much of today's football programme - and for the first quarter of an hour the players of both sides struggled to control the ball in paddyfield like conditions. David Holmes' deflected shot wide just after the quarter hour was the only effort on goal early on, in a game of few chances at either end, though Grantham could have had a penalty when Dave Taylor was upended in the box by Blount. Pat Lyons broke through on 41 minutes only for keeper Moulds to smother his effort, and Speeds halted a potentially threatening break by Grocutt just before half time.The second half was as unspectacular as the first, with the Brewers conceding possesion far too often, and Grantham lacking the penetration to punish them for it - Gary Twynham shooting straight at Goodwin, and Kirk Jackson into the side netting. David Holmes' cross came within inches of finding Nick Ashby and Craig Smith in the box, as Albion began to try and play their way back into the game, but neither side really looked like scoring. Youngster Ruben Francis - on as substitute for the largely ineffective Pat Lyons- came closest for the Brewers, with a precocious volley which sailed inches wide of Moulds' left hand post late on, and at the final whistle Grantham were clearly happy to take the tie back to the South Kesteven Sports Stadium for a replay this Tuesday (Kick-Off 7.45pm) - a match which will now be Nigel Clough's first in charge of his new squad. Whilst the Brewers could have done with the presence of Clough and Crosby in their team today, a mention is due to caretaker managers Steve Spooner and Andy Garner, who were taking charge of their last match today. Their record in one month in charge shows only one defeat, and many fans would have backed the pair to take the job permanently, which they might well have done had not such an outstanding candidate come forward. Nigel Clough will enjoy a baptism of fire with two tough away cup ties - Grantham on Tuesday and Morpeth Town in Saturday's FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie - to commence his fledgling career in football management.
Saturday 17th October 1998 Brewers battle through in Cup thriller FA Cup Third Qualifying Round: Burton Albion 2 Nuneaton Borough 1 Albion fought their way through to the Fourth Qualifying Round with a backs-to-the-wall performance against Dr. Martens League rivals, and current league leaders Nuneaton. Foul weather meant that the attendance - 1,894 - was some way lower than expected, and made playing conditions difficult, but the blustery wind and drizzly rain couldn't dampen a hot-blooded FA Cup derby clash on and off the pitch -several Nuneaton supporters were marched from the ground by police after minor scuffles at the Albion end of the ground, as tempers frayed during an explosive second half. Boro' fans had made the short journey down the A444 in number, and it was they who were celebrating just six minutes into the contest, Malcolm Christie - who else - heading in from close range, after Goodwin could only parry Shaun Wray's shot. Albion were having a nervy opening, not helped by the strong wind gusting towards their own goal, but the Brewers wasted a golden opportunity for an equaliser on 11 minutes. David Holmes found Davies on the right - his cross was met with a header form Craig Smith, and Holmes was in the perfect position to convert Williams' save - but somehow managed to turn the ball round the post. And soon after, Craig Smith found himself well positioned in front of goal, but couldn't reach back to latch on to Holmes' ball across the area. Burton looked set to be made to pay for their missed chances when Barry Williams whipped the ball in across the face of Nick Goodwin's goal, but Wilkin couldn't add the touch which would have deflected it into the net. Nuneaton continued to look the more dangerous side, and it was somewhat against the run of play that Albion found an equaliser four minutes before half-time - David Holmes picking up a pass from Pat Lyons - the midfielder returning to the side for the first time this season - and lifting a beautifully crafted lob over keeper Richard Williams from the edge of the box - another Cup wonder-goal from the BrewersNet sponsored player, just when it was most needed. The temperature of a heated encounter continued to rise even higher after the interval - in more ways than one. First Darren Stride's strong challenge on Richard Williams left the Boro' keeper out cold - and after a lengthy stoppage substitute goalkeeper Rob Wood was called into action, with Williams stretchered off and later taken to hospital in a neck brace. Stride - acting Captain for the Brewers - was booked for what had seemed a fair enough challenge, despite the unfortunate consequences. Wood made an immediate impression pushing Matt Smith's header over the bar, but was soon picking the ball out of his net after Albion took the lead from the resulting corner. Tony Marsden's shot wasn't cleared by the Boro' defence, and Craig Smith - largely ineffective in place of the suspended Andy Garner - made his mark on the game, firing in a low shot from just inside the box. Just a minute later and things went from bad to worse for the visitors - Shaun Wray received a second yellow card for his foul on Matt Smith - his first had been for diving early in the first half, and Boro' were down to ten men. Tempers were fraying on the field and on the terraces, with the heavy police presence being called into action to eject some of the less pleasant elements of the away support. Meanwhile, back on the pitch, Albion were being made to battle hard for their place in the next round, as the ten men of Nuneaton continued to push forward in search of an equaliser. Wilkin almost latched on to a through ball from Christie, and Steve Prindiville's 25 yard shot sailed worryingly close past the post. Goodwin was forced to punch clear on more than one occasion, as the Brewers hacked, hoofed and scrambled to clear their lines. Too many times Albion were winning the ball only to immediately give away posession, and find themselves once again having to defend. Pat Lyons had a chance to kill the game off from a break on 83 minutes, but could only shoot straight at the keeper, leaving Albion fans to endure nine nervy minutes of injury time. The Brewers are through to the final qualifying round of the FA Cup, and how they had to work for it. Let's hope for a nice easy tie in the next round. Ashton United away, anyone??
Saturday 3rd October 1998 Brave Romans run Brewers close FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round: Rocester 0 Burton Albion 1 The long road to Wembley, twin towers, magic of the Cup...blah blah...There are many cliches about the football world's oldest cup competition, but it's appeal remains as strong as ever here in the lower reaches of the football pyramid. A crowd five times their average gate provided Rocester with a lucrative pay day, and the Interlink Express Alliance "high-flyers" proved themselves a match for their more illustrious East Staffordshire neighbours in every area of the field. A fine display by Romans' goalkeeper Darryl Haynes kept the Brewers at bay for long periods of the match, and some more clinical finishing from the home side could have made the stressed-out tea-bar lady's wish come true - a replay so she could actually watch some of the action! Albion, playing in front of what was virtually a home crowd at Hillsfield - a neat rural enclosure- had the ball in the net inside two minutes, but Darren Grocutt was adjudged to have barged the keeper, and received a yellow card for his trouble - the first of a series of refereeing decisions to infuriate the Brewers players. Andy Garner was twice denied when he looked likely to score - first when his well struck free kick was acrobatically tipped over by Haynes, then when Richard Knight lunged in to make a crucial challenge on the Brewers striker inside the six yard box. Albion were creating the most chances, but the home side were given encouragement by some nervous goalkeeping from Nick Goodwin. The breakthrough for Albion finally came though, on 34 minutes, and who else to create it but David Holmes - capitalising on Andy Garner's skilfull build up with a fine left-foot volley from the edge of the box which even the agile Haynes couldn't prevent from dipping under his crossbar. Garner should have made it two before half-time from Blount's header across goal, but his tame effort from close range was more of a backpass than a shot. Haynes was once again quickly involved in the action after the interval, sprinting out to clear from Holmes, but at the other end Goodwin was still looking decidedly shaky, only parrying a driven shot from Mick Ede, and Rocester began to surge forward more, as the game began to open out. The Romans should have had a sensational equaliser on 68 minutes, following a quick counter attack which left Albion exposed at the back - but Gassama somehow managed to head wide with the goal gaping in front of him, from Owen's pinpoint cross from the left. It seemed like Rocester's best chance had gone, but their prospects improved ten minutes from time when Albion were reduced to ten men - Andy Garner sent off in a decision which baffled most of the crowd, but was later revealed to be for using foul and abusive language at the referee. And the Brewers' joint caretaker-manager did himself no favours by continuing to barrack the official on the way to the dressing rooms at the end of the match. Following a nervy last ten minutes, Albion had overcome a potentially tricky hurdle on their personal "road to Wembley", and credit is due to Rocester for their part in an absorbing contest.
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