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| Deva date for Brewers |
| A
home tie against Conference strugglers Chester City awaits Burton Albion
in the Sixth Round of this season's FA Umbro Trophy.
And the visit of the former Football League side to Eton Park in three weeks time will hold no fear for Nigel Clough's side, after they coasted into the Quarter Finals for the second year running at the expense of Woking, and Trophy legend Geoff Chapple, on Saturday. The Cards, battling against relegation from the Conference, were 2-0 down at half time and showed little to worry the 2,300 best-of-the-season crowd in the second half, as Albion chalked up their sixth Conference scalp since Nigel Clough's arrival at the club. |
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took just 20 minutes for the Brewers to make their mark. Nigel Clough's quickly
taken free-kick had the visitors at sixes and sevens, and 'keeper Anthony
Tucker had to be alert to block Sean Farrell's shot from close range. From
the resultant, Aaron Webster-propelled corner, Farrell's flick on was met
by Mark Blount's header into the net.
The second came ten minutes before half time, an inspirational run from Webster down the left flank ending with a teasing ball into the box which was somehow bundled over the line by Darren Stride. Woking continued to struggle to find any kind of rhthym after the break, and things went from bad to worse when Jon Boardman's foolish challenge from behind earning him a second yellow card, and were it not for some wayward finishing from the Brewers, the scoreline could have been even more damning than the 3-0 it finished as, Stride heading home his second from Clough's perfectly delivered free-kick, on the stroke of time. On this form, the only danger for the Brewers is that they don't get carried away - next month's clash with Chester, in front of what is sure to be an even bigger Eton Park crowd, will be merely a break from a punishing schedule of 10 UniBond League games in the space of a month which could make or break their season. Arguably the most important month in the club's recent history starts with Saturday's tough trip to Holker Street, Barrow. |
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| Brewers march on |
| The
Brewers continued their stately progress atop the UniBond Premier Division
with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Blyth Spartans at fog-bound Eton
Park.
After a frustrating opening period in which a physical and defensive-minded Spartans side frustrated the Brewers attacking ambitions, the game burst into life in a nine minute spell towards the end of the first half in which had the game kiled off before half time. It was Neil Glasser got the ball rolling on 34 minutes, firing home a sweetly struck shot from outside the box, after Alan Bailey had laid off Mark Blount's cross in from the right. |
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Three minutes later, it was
2-0, Dale Anderson making a foraging run down the right flank before pulling
back a cross into the box which Steve Evans hopelessly miskicked, but Darren
Stride somehow managed to direct into the net, off the ground and a
defender.
Evans redeemed himself fiev minutes later, capitalizing on some slack defending from the visitors to tap in Nigel Clough's cross from the left, which had been allowed to pass acros the face of goal unchecked. It could have been 4-0 before the interval, Alan Bailey, in probably his best for since joining the Brewers at the start of the season, seeing his header hit the bar, while at the other end Albion's woodwork was rattled by Glen Robson's long-range effort. The second half was relatively incident-free, with the Brewers understandably happy to sit back more than in the first half, but a little extra gloss was applied to the result 20 minutes from time when Darren Stride latched onto Bailey's pass to life the ball over the 'keeper. Wins for Lancaster and Altrincham mean the Brewers don't extend their lead any further, but another three points racked up ahead of next weekend's big FA Trophy clash with Woking leaves Albion in a very healthy position as they take a fortnight's break from league action. |
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| Another good weekend |
| It might
not have had the drama or excitement of Tuesday's FA Trophy thriller, but
the Brewers' 1-0 victory at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday could be infinitely
more important in the final analysis of the season, on a weekend when both
of their main title rivals dropped points. Lancaster City were held to a 1-1 draw by basement side Hyde United, while Altrincham fought out a 2-2 stalemate with Barrow at Holker Street, results which, combined with Albion's victory in Lincolnshire, leave the Brewers nine points clear at the top of the table. Altrincham and Lancaster's games in hand would only enable them to level on points with Albion, who have a far superior goal difference, meaning that for the first time in several months, the Brewers' destiny is in their own hands. At Northolme on Saturday, blustery conditions made it difficult for both sides to get a grip on the game, in a first half almost entirely devoid of incident. Things perked up a little in the second half, with Dale Anderson missing a gaping chance early in the half, and Darren Stride having an effort tipped round by Trinity 'keeper Ingham, while Mark Blount had a goal disallowed for pushing, before the breakthrough arrived just short of the hour mark,
Sean Farrell
broke through into the Trinity box before being brought down by Ian Gore,
and Aaron Webster made no mistake from the resultant spot-kick. The home
side gave the Brewers a scare when Chris Hurst's header was cleared off the
line, via the crossbar, by Colin Hoyle, but Albion held firm to record another
precious league victory. |
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| Henshaw the hero as Brewers go through |
| The
Brewers blasted their way into the last 16 of the FA Umbro Trophy after emerging
triumphant from a five-goal thriller with Farnborough Town, on another memorable
night of cup football at Eton Park.
Albion had got off to the worst possible start, when, as in Saturday's game, Boro' striker Rocky Baptiste gave the Conference side the lead, his audacious chip inside five minutes catching Matt Duke off his line. And it was the Brewers' hero of Saturday, player-manager Nigel Clough, who levelled within ten minutes, shooting through a crowded six yard box after good work from Dale Anderson, on as substitute for Christian Moore, who limped off in the early stages after sustaining a knock. |
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Alan Bailey put the Brewers
in front with a deflected shot midway through the second half, and that goal
looked like being the winner, as the Brewers appeared to have done enough
to contain the visitors, who were restricted to speculative long-range efforts.
The drama however, had only just begun.
With the clock having just hit the 90 minute mark, Lenny Piper shot in off the post to drag Boro level at 2-2, and stun the 1,700 crowd into silence, but with extra time and penalties looming, Albion broke, Dale Anderson's shot was blocked and Terry Henshaw was on hand to fire home, to send the home fans wild. This was the Brewers fifth victory over Conference opposition in cup competition in seven attempts since Nigel Clough took over as manager, and one of the previous victims of that record, Woking, won't relish their trip to Eton Park a fortnight on Saturday. In the meantime, this victory should further boost morale ahead of Saturday's crucial UniBond Premier Division trip to Gainsborough Trinity (3pm). |
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| Home draw for Trophy winners |
| The winners of Tuesday's FA Trophy Fourth Round replay between Albion and Farnborough at Eton Park will entertain Conference side Woking, who Albion knocled out of the FA Cup two seasons ago, in the Fifth Round, on Saturday 23rd February 2002. |
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| Clough goal earns Trophy replay |
| A rare Nigel Clough goal two
minutes from time earned the Brewers a second crack at Conference opponents
Farnborough Town, in a dramatic ending to Saturday's match in
Hampshire.
The Brewers trailed by a goal to nil after a poor first half performance in wihch Clough's side struggled to get into their stride at a winsdswept and rain-soaked Aimita Stadium. A Mark Blount shot which came back off the post was the only chance of note for the Brewers, who went behind when former Wealdstone and Hayes striker Rocky Baptiste headed in Lee Holloway's cross from close range. The Brewers, who's team coach had finally limped down Cherrywood Road 40 minutes before kick-off after twice breaking down en-route, came out with renewed vigour in the second half, and took the game to their hosts. Steve Evans came closest to finding the equaliser with a goalbound header magnifiently saved by Bonfield, but Boro seemed to have done enough to hold out, until a lightning counter-attack saw Evans play Clough through to fire home from the edge of the box. The Brewers threatened to claim a winner, and at the other end saw a header from Keith Dublin sail perilously close to Matt Duke's far post, in a lengthy period of stoppage time, but a draw was probably a fair result - the two sides meet again at Eton Park on Tuesday night (7.45pm). A good end to the day was complete meanwhile with the news that the Brewers title rivals Lancaster City had gone down to a surprise 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Whitby Town. Barrow also lost, but Altrincham's 4-0 thrashing of Colwyn Bay keeps them in the promotion picture. |
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| News - February 2002 | << main >> |
