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| December '99 News and Reports |
| Date | Story | Type |
| 31-12-99 | "Awayday blues continue" | Report - Halesowe (a) |
| 23-12-99 | "Game frozen out" | Match postponed |
| 21-12-99 | "Garner bites back" | Report - Cambridge City (h) |
| 16-12-99 | "Dean makes appearance" | Report - Banbury (h) / Trophy draw |
| 14-12-99 | "Lyons roars again" | Report - Merthyr (h) |
| 10-12-99 | "Progress in League Cup" | Match details- Halesowen (h) |
| 4-12-99 | "Boston show title class" | Report - Boston (a) |
| 3-12-99 | "Clough swoops on 'Dale" | New signing |
| 3-12-99 | "Battle of York Street" | Boston preview, Trophy draw |
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Friday 31st December 1999 Awayday blues continue Dr. Martens League - Halesowen 2 Albion 1 Burton Albion left the 20th Century with a defeat at the Grove on Monday, as a spirited second half fightback couldn't make amends for two clumsy goals conceded in the first. After an evenly matched opening, hosts Halesowen snuck in front on 18 minutes courtesy of an unfortunate own goal from Brewers defender Alan Davies. Former Bromsgrove striker Stuart Payne's shot was blocked by Nick Goodwin, but the ball was only cleared as far as Yeltz new boy Scott Gennard, who's shot Davies could only turn into his own net. Just past the half hour mark, it was 2-0, as more slack defending from Albion allowed Gennard once again to turn provider, crossing in for Adrian Cooper to head home unchallenged. Halesowen had been allowed to capitalise on the few occasions they threatened the Albion goal, whereas at the other end Yeltz 'keeper Danny McDonnell was a spectator, as loan signing Julian Dowe shot wastefully high the best of the rare scoring opportunities that came the Brewers way. Dowe, who's loan period at the club from Rochdale has been a big let-down, was substituted at half time, and the arrival of Dale Anderson gave the Yeltz defence a trickier prospect in the second half. There was still work for Nick Goodwin to do - denying Cooper a second goal after the home side sprang the Brewers' offside trap, but it was home 'keeper who would have the biggest influence on the game after Albion pulled a goal back 20 minutes from time. When Nigel Clough's free-kick into the area came off Blount, Neil Glasser's shot was saved by McDonnell, but Darren Stride was at hand to score with a stooping close-range header. The goal spurred Albion on to greater attacking endeavour, and Stride came agonizingly close to heading in his second on 83 minutes. The skipper's diving header from a Clough free-kick looked a certain goal but McDonnell produced a lightning-fast reflex save to tip the ball to safety. Then again, as the seconds ticked away, slower than usual thanks to the referee's indifference to the home side's timewasting tactics, McDonnell produced more heroics to preserve his team's slender lead. Anderson raced into a one on one with the 'keeper on the edge of the box after Clough's through ball had split the Yeltz defence, but just as he looked set to round the Halesowen No. 1 and equalize, the 'keeper timed his dive perfectly to pluck the ball off the feet of the young Brewers striker.
The result, a fourth
successive away league defeat, poses more question marks to the Brewers title
credentials, and is all the more frustrating in the knowledge that the two
teams above them at start of play both lost. Albion remain fourth in the
table, and only five points behind the leaders - courtesy of their unbeaten
home record, and it's even more imperative that this is preserved when
Ilkeston Town visit Eton Park for the first match of the new Millenium
on Monday, 3rd January (kick-off 3pm).
Thursday 23rd December 1999 Game frozen out Tuesday's scheduled Dr. Martens League tie with Worcester City was postponed after the referee ruled the pitch was unplayable. Meanwhile former Brewers boss John Barton - now in charge of Worcester - turned down three possible dates to rearrange the match before the New Year. These included Wednesday 22nd - a day after the original date, Thursday 30th December, and New Years Eve afternoon - a date which would have meant the match earning the distinction of being the last senior game of the century. Instead the match will now be played sometime in the New Year. Meanwhile Albion have more fixtures to add to their busy schedule in the New Year. The Brewers will take on Stafforshire rivals Tamworth in the Birmingham Senior Cup Third Round on Tuesday, 1st February, and will travel to Eastern Division side VS Rugby in the Third Round of the Dr. Martens League Cup on a date to be arranged, probably Wednesday, 26th January. That's about it for now. Have a good Christmas, and see you at the Grove on Monday 27th December, when the Brewers take on Halesowen Town (3pm). Tuesday 21st December 1999 Garner bites back Dr. Martens League: Albion 3 Cambridge City 0 Andy Garner hit back at his critics in decisive fashion with two second half goals as Albion killed off the threat of Cambridge City in a devestating final half hour at Eton Park on Saturday. Nigel Clough was the architect of both Garner goals, both coming from free-kicks. The first, on 63 minutes was fired home from six yards by Garner, reacting well to the player-manager's wicked delivery to notch his first league goal of the season. And the second wasn't long in coming. Five minutes later another Clough free-kick found Neil Glasser, the midfielder's shot was parried by City 'keeper Martin Davies, and Garner was on hand to convert from close range. The goals came at a time when Garner was coming under fire from some supporters in the 941 crowd, with calls for him to be substituted, and the veteran striker made clear his delight at having silenced his detractors. And it could have been even sweeter for Garner had he converted a clear scoring chance ten minutes from time, but the Brewers No. 8 blasted over with the goal gaping before him. By this point, Cambridge's resistance had been broken with the added blow of having Ian Stringfellow sent off for a second bookable offence. Anton Thomas entered the fray as substitute, and had soon made his own telling contribution, cutting inside the City defence and drilling home a superb strike past the despairing Davies. Albion were threatening to run their visitors ragged by this stage, with only a linesman's flag ruling out Darren Stride's effort in stoppage time. In truth this would have been a more than flattering scoreline after Cambridge had had the better of the game for long periods. Loan midfielder Des Linton had a striking chance for the visitors as early as the first minute, and winger Simon Wilde blasted the best chance of the half across the face of goal, after Goodwin had pushed out Neil Coburn's cross on 25 minutes. Cambridge also had a goal disallowed on the half hour, when Scott Taylor intercepted Goodwin's tame free-kick across the face of his own area, but the referee ruled the visitors striker had not retreated ten yards. After the game Albion assistant manager Gary Crosby criticized the tendency of some fans to get on the team's back. Speaking in Monday's Burton Mail, Crosby said: "There's a minority of supporters at this club who aren't making it any easier for us... Teams are going to come here and make it difficult for us and it's going to get harder as the season progresses. But it doesn't help whea section of the crowd gets on the back of the players when things aren't going well... We've said before that sometimes you have to be patient and I think we're proved that enough times this season." Albion have a chance to close the gap on leaders Boston United to just four points tonight (Tuesday) when former Brewers boss John Barton brings his Worcester City team to town for the last game of this century at Eton Park (7.30pm). Boston slipped up again on Saturday, going down 2-0 to Bath City in the top of the table clash at Twerton Park. Tonight's game is in some doubt if the frozen pitch has not thawed out, following sub-zero temperatures in the area last night - news on the site when we get it.
Thursday 16th December 1999 Dean makes appearance Albion fans in the sparse 367 crowd at the Moat Ground for last night's 'Millenium Cup' game with Gresley Rovers, had the privilige of seeing long-term injury casualty Craig Dean make his first senior appearance for the Brewers since July. The midfielder, signed by Nigel Clough from Atherstone United in the Summer, sustained a knee injury in a pre-season friendly with Hednesford Town which has kept him on the sidelines all season. But Dean took a significant step towards a return to regular football, coming on as substitute for the final 15 minutes of last night's game. Nigel Clough fielded a mix of first teamers and reserve players for the game, which Albion lost 2-1. Pat Lyons gave the Brewers the lead in the first half, but two goals from Rovers substitute Mick Sandar - one of them in the last minute - gave the Moatmen an advantage to take into the second leg, to be played some time in the New Year. It was the Brewers' second game in two days, with the Albion boss having fielded a similarly weakened side for Tuesday night's Birmingham Senior Cup Second Round tie with Banbury United. Ricky Smith gave the Oxfordshire outfit the lead on 20 minutes but goals from Aaron Webster (30) and Anton Thomas (59) preserved the Brewers' unbeaten home record. Meanwhile, Albion know who they will be facing in the Third Round of the FA Umbro Trophy, after UniBond Division One side Workington Reds overcame Bilston Town 3-2 after extra-time, in their delayed Second Round replay at Borough Park on Tuesday. The Brewers travel to Cumbria on Saturday 15th January for the tie. Two more home league games for Albion to cram into their hectic schedule before Christmas: Cambridge City are at Eton Park on Saturday (3pm), while John Barton returns to the ground where he managed for four years, with his Worcester City team next Tuesday, 21st December (7.30pm) - for the last game of the Twentieth Century at Eton Park. Tuesday 14th December 1999 Lyons roars again Dr. Martens League: Albion 2 Merthyr 0 Pat Lyons continued his surprise burst of goalscoring form to set the Brewers on the road to victory against Merthyr Tydfil at Eton Park on Saturday. Lyons' grabbed his fifth goal in six games with a 23rd minute header to give the Brewers the advantage in an open, evenly contested Dr. Martens League encounter. By this stage Albion had already created chances after a bright opening. Andy Garner had the ball in the net from Stride's pass, but the linesman's flag was already raised, Mark Blount headed just over, and Nigel Clough saw an effort from the edge of the box saved by Martyrs' 'keeper Neil Thomas. Meanwhile the Brewers were forced to make a change as Michael Forsyth limped off to be replaced by Terry Henshaw at the heart of defence. The goal when it came was a result of good build up play from the Brewers. Neil Glasser played the ball out to Alan Davies on the right, and the full back exchanged passes with Darren Stride before swinging in a cross from close range for the unmarked Lyons to head home. The goal seemed to sting the visitors into action, Chris Sloan came close to equalizing just past the half hour mark, and Cohen Griffiths saw his long range cross-cum-shot curled dangerously across the face of goal and just wide of Nick Goodwin's right-hand post. Loan striker Julian Dowe went off injured on 48 minutes to be replaced by Dale Anderson, who immediately brought more of an attacking threat to the Albion frontline. And it was the substitute who got the killer goal, on 72 minutes, almost a duplicate of the first, with Neil Glasser providing the cross, and Anderson steering the header home. Merthyr had started the second half as they ended the first, with Tony Bird twice coming close, but the second goal ended the game as a contest. The tricky Anderson almost grabbed a wonder goal to take him above Anton Thomas - absent from this game through injury - in the scoring charts. Disposessing Adrian Needs on the half way line, the young striker produced a mazy run which left several Martyrs defenders standing, but was robbed in the box before he could produce the finish. Not the most spectacular or overwhelming victory for the Brewers, but a satisfying one all the same, against a good footballing side. The result also maintains Albion's unbeaten home run this season, a record Nigel Clough will be hoping to maintain in the run up to the New Year, with two more home league games to cram in before Christmas - Cambridge City this Saturday and the rearranged match with Worcester City the following Tuesday. Before all that is the Birmingham Senior Cup tie with Banbury United at Eton Park on Tuesday, and Part One of the 'Match of the Millenium' against Gresley Rovers at the Moat Ground the following night (both 7.30pm). Meanwhile the FA Umbro Trophy Second Round replay between Workington and Bilston Town looked set to finally go ahead tonight (Monday), with the winners facing the Brewers in Round Three. After two aborted attempts to play the match, the pitch at Workington's Borough Park ground was ruled playable after a pitch inspection early on Monday morning.
Friday 10th December 1999 Progress in League Cup The Brewers progressed to the Third Round of the Dr. Martens League Cup on Tuesday evening with a 3-2 victory over Halesowen Town at Eton Park. The Brewers recovered well from the twin setbacks of going behind to Paul Birch's strike on 40 minutes, and Dale Anderson's miss from the spot a minute later, after Julian Dowe - making his home debut for the Brewers - was pulled down by Yeltz 'keeper Phil Wood, to dominate in the second half. Good work from Anton Thomas and Aaron Webster set up Pat Lyons to level the scores four minutes after the break, Anderson made amends for his penalty miss to put the Brewers in front a minute later, and Thomas - looking at his most effective for some time, by all accounts, made it 3-1 with a 22-yard strike. Stuart Payne pulled back a late consolation for Halesowen. The home games continue to come thick and fast for the Brewers in the run up to Christmas - Merthyr Tydfil are at Eton Park on Saturday (3pm) in league action, Banbury United visit on Tuesday, 14th December (7.30pm) in the Birmingham Senior Cup, and there's another home league match against Cambridge City next Saturday, 18th December (3pm). Before that is the first leg of the so called 'Match of the Millenium' against Gresley Rovers at the Moat Ground this coming Wednesday (7.30pm), with the return at Eton Park on a date yet to be fixed in the New Year. Saturday 4th December 1999 Boston show title class Dr. Martens League - Boston United 3 Albion 1 On a freezing December afternoon in Lincolnshire, Boston United disappeared over the horizon in the Dr. Martens League title chase, and go into the Christmas period ten points clear, and - even with less than half the matches played - as Champions elect. Because this was a title winning performance from Boston, one in which the Brewers, roared on by 500 travelling fans on the Town End terrace, only briefly threatened to spoil the party for the remainder of the bumper 2,090 crowd inside York Street. That was after Darren Stride had given Albion the lead in bizzare fashion, and against the run of play, on 24 minutes. Pilgrims full back Joby Gowshaw fluffed his back header, and when Brewers debutante Julian Dowe's shot looped off a defender, the Brewers captain dived in almost along the ground to nod the ball over the line. Boston had started well and this setback did little to dampen their attacking vigour - Nick Goodwin had to tip a header from David Rennie round the post and Gary Childs shot wide, before the equalizer finally arrived, five minutes before the break. The Pilgrims' 'forgotten man', former Nuneaton player Andy Kiwomya - making his first appearance of the season at York Street - tore through the Albion defence with a penetrating run down the left flank before setting up Lee Power who drove the ball home from close range after Goodwin could only parry his initial shot. The psychological advantages of scoring before half-time are well known, and the home side re-emerged after the break with all guns blazing. Five minutes after the break, Power's run into the box was halted by Goodwin, though the referee - to the disgust of the home fans - showed only a yellow card to the Brewers 'keeper, despite awarding a penalty. Paul Wilson stepped up to take the spot kick... and blasted it high over the bar. But relief for the Brewers was short lived, as within two minutes Boston had gone in front for the first time. Peter Costello swung a cross in from the right, and former Brewer Micky Nuttell - the Pilgrims' scorer in the corresponding fixture at Eton Park back in September - was on hand to head home. Albion were playing neat, passing football but rarely showed any real threat when it came to the last third of the field. Even an infusion of fresh blood by Nigel Clough - first choice strike pairing for most of this season Dale Anderson and Anton Thomas being brought on in place of Garner and Lyons - failed to trouble one of the meanest defences in non-league football. In fact it was the home substitution which would have the most impact on the game, Kevin Noteman had not long been brought into the fray when he fired home Andrew Stanhope's cross from the right to send the home fans into delirium. This was, to borrow that horribly overused expression, 'a good advert for the Dr. Martens League' - a pulsating encounter between two good footballing sides, in front of a large, atmospheric crowd. Either of these sides would grace the Nationwide Conference but only one of them will be playing in the top flight of non-league football come August 2000. And barring a significant slip-up by Steve Evans's team in the New Year, it won't - alas - be the Brewers.
Friday 3rd December 1999 Clough swoops on 'Dale Nigel Clough has returned to Spotland - scene of the Brewers' FA Cup exit a month ago - to boost his squad ahead of Saturday's top of the table clash with Boston United at York Street. Clough has signed Julian Dowe on loan from the Third Division club, and the 24-year old striker is expected to be in the starting line-up for Saturday's game. Dowe scored the killer third goal against the Brewers in the FA Cup First Round replay on November 9th - a stunning long range strike, but has not been able to secure a regular first team place at Spotland. The signing of a striker - long wished for by the fans - provides an extra weapon to the Brewers for Saturday's game. Nigel Clough told the Burton Mail today: "Hopefully Julian will provide a bit of a surprise element for us at Boston. He's a big lad who will give us a physical presence." Clough said the move would benefit both club and player: "We'll be able to give Julian the games he needs to stay fit and at the same time he'll increase our attacking options." said the Brewers boss. Apart from the absence of David Holmes, injured in a reserve match in midweek, Clough has a full squad of players to choose from for Saturday's game atYork Street. Friday 3rd December 1999 Battle of York Street It's being billed as the most important match of the season, and few would dispute that title as the Brewers travel to Boston United on Saturday for the Dr. Martens League top of the table clash (3pm). Defeat for Albion would see the Pilgrims open up a 12 point gap at the top, which despite the Brewers' three games in hand, would present Nigel Clough and his team with a mountain to climb to catch up. The game at York Street will be segreagated, with a 2,000+ crowd expected. Brewers fans being allocated the 'Town End' of the ground, the large covered terrace at the opposite end to the players entrance. Albion fans wishing to sit down should use the 'green' block of seats in the main stand, at the end nearest the Town End. News of the game here from late Saturday. As reported here on BrewersNet, the FA Umbro Trophy Third Round draw was made earlier this week, with the Brewers being handed an away tie at either UniBond Division One side Workington, or Dr. Martens Western Division Bilston Town. The two sides' replay in Cumbria was postponed on Tuesday, and has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, 7th December. Meanwhile, Albion will renew their rivalry with Gresley Rovers, in a specially arranged "match of the millenium" to be played over two legs either side of the New Year. The first leg will be held at the Moat Grund on Wednesday 15th December with a 7.30pm kick-off. Organisers claim that the match will be a chance to celebrate the rivalry between the two sides in the absence of a league derby clash for the first time in six years, Gresley having been relegated to the Dr. Martens Western Division. The matches will also provide a chance to look back over matches past, with former players invited to appear at the games, though one cynic has already written to the Burton Mail claiming the whole idea is a ruse to make Albion supporters dig into their pockets to "bail out" the cash-strapped South Derybshire club! One other news item of note - former Brewers boss Neil Warnock has been appointed manager of First Division Sheffield United. Warnock, a lifelong Blades fan gave up the managers job at Bury to take over the reins at what he descibed as "the greatest club in the world".
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