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| Dudley sets up Latics return |
| The
Brewers cruised into the First Round Proper of the FA Cup with a more comfortable
victory over visitors Halifax Town than the result suggested, to earn a trip
to Second Division high-flyers Oldham Athletic in three weeks time. Albion have been growing in confidence in recent weeks after a shaky start to life in the Conference, and looked a different side to the one held by Halifax in the corresponding fixture in the league back in September. The Brewers always looked the most likely to score, with lone frontman Christian Moore having the best of the early chances, finding himself one-on-one with Lee Butler on 20 minutes, with the Halifax 'keeper blocking Moore's attempt to net his eleventh goal of the season. |
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| The
match was effectively over as a contest after a 10-minute spell which saw
the Shaymen two goals down and reduced to ten men. The opener that Albion
had been threatening arrived on 32 minutes, Moore providing the cross in
from the left, and Clough helping the ball on for Craig Dudley to
direct the ball past Butler from six yards - for his first goal in a Brewers
shirt. Glen Kirkwood also opened his Albion account ten minutes later, getting on the end of Clough's quickly taken free-kick to lash the ball home from similarly close range. |
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By
that stage, Halifax defender Steve Bushell had been red carded for a second
bookable offence for his late challenge on Clough, and despite some tactical
changes, the Shaymen showed little more attacking endeavour in the second
half. Substitute Simon Parke's header late on was the closest they came, the former Southport man denied his second goal against the Brewers this season by the crossbar, until the visitors nicked a consolation deep into injury time - Brian Quailey racing onto Mick Senior's through ball before rounding the onrushing Matt Duke and converting from an angle from the edge of the box. |
| This
made for an unnecessarily nervy last couple of minutes for the Brewers, who
had been denied the chance to increase their lead from the penalty spot when
Dale Anderson appeared to have been tripped by the Halifax 'keeper, the referee
was unmoved. Darren Stride also saw an effort go narrowly wide after being set up by substitute Andy Sinton, but the Brewers can be happy with another assured performance despite the absence of man of the moment Stuart Reddington, denied permission to play in this cup tie by Mansfield boss Stuart Watkiss. Those fans who gathered in the Football Tavern after the match to watch the draw appeared happy with an away trip to Oldham Athletic - a good away trip to look forward to, although a difficult mission, with the Latics currently fourth in Nationwide Division Two after Saturday's 2-1 victory at Queens Park Rangers. The trip to Boundary Park on Saturday 16th November, will be the first time the Brewers have taken on opposition from this level since the legendary 4-3 heartbreak against Bradford City back in 1995, and will be an especially emotional return to the club he left in the Summer for former Latic Craig Dudley. Before then Albion have two league games to get out of the way - Morecambe visit Eton Park on Saturday while a week later (Saturday 9th November) the Brewers travel to struggling Kettering Town (both kick-off 3pm). |
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| Moore joy for Brewers |
| The
Brewers' fine run of form continued as they ground out a hard-earned 1-0
victory over Stevenage Borough at Broadhall Way. Christian Moore was on the mark again, heading home powerfully after Craig Dudley's wicked run and cross, to take his tally for the season to ten, which sees him joint top of the Conference scoring charts. Darren Stride saw a header land on the roof of the net, and Aaron Webster spurned a chance to convert from close range, while at the other end Michael Blackwood came closest to finding the net for Boro, his header coming back off the crossbar. |
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| A
bad day for Boro and their under-fire boss Wayne Turner was made even
worse when they had Jamie Campbell sent off in the dying stages for a reckless
challenge on Nigel Clough. |
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| Friday night's alright |
| Eight
weeks, and eight home games into the season, the Brewers finally recorded
their first home victory in the Conference last night, and they did it in
style, with a thoroughly convincing victory over Hereford United in front
of a 2,000+ Friday night crowd at Eton Park. Albion belied their ongoing injury situation - Glasser, Kavanagh, Kirkwood and Sinton all absent from this one, not to mention long-term crocks Anderson and Wassall - by passing the ball around confidently from the start, cruising into a two-goal advantage by half time and holding firmly onto their lead with a polished, professional performance after the break, in a game which was reminiscent of some of the Brewers' cavalier performances of last season's title campaign. Christian Moore continued his prolific scoring form of this season by netting both Brewers goals, the first coming on 13 minutes with Moore heading former Shrewsbury man Andy Tretton's attempted headed clearance back past him and into the net from a tight angle, after Craig Dudley's ball in. |
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| The
second came three minutes before half time, Moore again ruthlessly taking
advantage of some suspect Bulls defending, picking up Tony James' woeful
clearance on the edge of the box to fire home from 12 yards. Inbetween, Lee Glover, Darren Stride and Aaron Webster had all came close with long-range effort, Dudley had a shot blocked by Hereford 'keeper Matt Baker, while Stuart Reddington's aerial threat was once again illustrated with Baker having to be alert to deny the defender's headed effort on 25 minutes. Hereford boss Graham Turner switched to a more attack-minded formation after the break, but apart from a late shot into the side netting from substitute Rob Purdie, the visitors rarely looked like breaching a Brewers defence on the top of their game, while Reddington could have added to the Albion lead with another headed effort from aaron Webster's corner coming back off the post. The torrential rain couldn't dampen the spirits of the home crowd, for whom this result, hot on the heels of an impressive performance in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with leaders Yeovil, offers some enouraging signs that the Brewers could finally be beginning to find their feet in non-league football's top-flight. |
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| Moore saves Brewers |
| A
dramatic injury time equaliser from Christian Moore meant that Tuesday night's
clash with league leaders ended on a high, although after matching the league
leaders for 95 minutes, a draw was the least Albion deserved from an entertaining
clash in front of the biggest Eton Park crowd of the season. Albion reverted to a 4-5-1 formation to attempt to stifle a Yeovil attack which has been scoring goals at will of late, and it seemed to do the trick, with the Brewers playing the ball around nicely without offering too much in the way of clearcut scoring opportunities, although Christian Moore did clip the crossbar with an effort inside the first minute. Both goalkeepers had minor saves to make before a first half that was entertaining, if light on chances, ended with Abdoulai Demba's acrobatic overhead effort bringing a save out of Matt Duke. |
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| In
the second half, Glen Kirkwood came closest to breaking the deadlock with
a thunderbolt shot coming back off the crossbar on the hour mark, while at
the other end Yeovil had a penalty shout rejected after Demba went down under
the challenge of home debutant Stuart Reddington, before the Glovers broke
the deadlock on 73 minutes, Demba picking up Kim Grant's knock down to fire
a low shot past Duke. A crushing sense of deja vu descended on Eton Park, but to their credit the Brewers capped a spirited display by stepping up the gear in search of an equaliser which arrived five minutes into time added on. After a lengthy period of injury time for Glen Kirkwood to receive treatment from the physio, a last ditch clearance from Matt Duke was nodded on by Terry Henshaw, and Christian Moore raced through to slot home past Glovers 'keeper Jon Sheffield, to the delight of the home fans. Such a late equalizer meant the result felt more like a victory, with a point being a creditable result against a team on form and top of the Conference tree. The only downside were more casualties to add to a mounting injury list. Glen Kirkwood's head injury, which caused the lengthy stoppage time on Tuesday, means he is likely to miss the visit of Hereford United to Eton Park tonight (Friday, 7.45pm). Meanwhile Jason Kavanagh's calf strain and Neil Glasser's hamstring injury mean they are also likely to be absent. On the plus side, Andy Sinton is likely to return after recovering from illness. |
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| Debut goal for new boy |
| New
signing Stuart Reddington marked his Brewers debut with a goal at Kingfield,
but it was another frustrating afternoon for the Brewers who led hosts Woking
at half time before squandering their lead to trail 2-1. It was almost a dream start for 6ft 4 ins defender Reddington, who joined the club on a one month loan from Mansfield Town earlier this week, as his header from Nigel Clough's cross riccocheted back off the crossbar with less than 30 seconds on the clock. Lee Glover saw a shot saved by Shwan Jalal, and had a header tipped onto the bar by the Cards 'keeper, before Albion's dominance of the first half was rewarded on 39 minutes, Aaron Webster heading home from Christian Moore's corner. |
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| Webster
and Glover both spurned chances to double Albion's lead after the break,
and the Brewers were punished for their slack finishing when Barry Moore
converted for Woking from close range, after Matt Duke parried Anthony Allman's
effort. Things looked even worse when some more worryingly slack defending allowed Nicky Banger to put the home side in front with a close-range header on 67 minutes, but within six minutes parity was restored, Reddington arriving in the box to power home Christian Moore's flag-kick. A point moves the Brewers up one place in the table, but they could soon find themselves pulled further towards the relegation quagmire if they fail to kickstart their home form this week, with two tricky games in the space of four days. League leaders Yeovil Town are the visitors on Tuesday night, while Hereford United are at Eton Park on Friday night, in a game moved back because of the England game on Saturday (both kick-off at 7.45pm). |
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| News - October 2002 | << main >> |
