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| Injuries marr Bees point |
| The
Brewers brought their losing streak to an end and returned to the top half
of the table after returning from North London with a creditable point from
their clash with Barnet at Underhill. Albion found themselves behind after just six minutes, Junior Agogo setting up Danny Brown to convert at the far post, but Albion hit back shortly after half time when Bees 'keeper Danny Naisbitt allowed Darren Stride's shot to slip from his grasp. Christian Moore hit his first goal in nearly two months to put the Brewers in the driving seat on the hour mark, after good build up play from Nigel Clough and Craig Dudley, but Albion's lead lasted only six minutes, John Doolan's bullet-like shot from 30 yards leaving Alboin loan 'keeper Lee Camp stranded. |
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| An
encouraging performance and result for the Brewers was marred only by injuries
to Andy Sinton and Darren Wassall. Sinton sustained a bruised ankle as a
result of a challenge by Barnet's Ismail Yakubu, while Wassall suffered a
recurrence of his groin strain. Both should be fit again by the time Albion return to league action against Telford United in a fortnight's time - their early exit from the FA Trophy leaves them with a blank Saturday this weekend, although they are in Staffordshire Senior Cup action on Tuesday night (28th January) when Dr. Martens League Hednesford Town visit Eton Park. |
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| Home is where the hurt is |
| Struggling
Leigh RMI completed a league double over the Brewers on Saturday, as Albion's
wretched home form continued to plumb new depths - seven defeats and only
two wins now in fifteen home league outings this season - the worst home
record in the Conference. Dino Maamria netted a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture at Hilton Park back in August, and the former Doncaster Rovers striker again proved the thorn in Albion's side, latching onto Ged Kielty's cross from the right to swivel home a magnificent strike to put Leigh in front after 13 minutes. Albion were lucky not to concede a second goal to the same man when goalkeeper Lee Camp, making his home debut for the Brewers, spilled Stuart Whittaker's shot on 24 minutes, but Maamria could only hit the cross bar from inside the box. |
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| Albion
regrouped, with Aaron Webster, who'd started as an orthodox full back, being
allowed to push forward more, and Webster was the source of Albion's most
promising attacking move, setting free Dale Anderson for a mazy run and shot
from a tight angle which deserved a goal, but agonisingly struck the foot
of the far post. Albion continued to make most of the running in the second half, but save for a speculative effort from Nigel Clough and a late header from Darren Stride, never really looked like finding a response, Anderson and O'Halloran (and later Dudley) lacking the physical presence to worry a solid RMI backline. Murmurs of discontent on the terraces, and the lowest crowd of the season - 1,393 - are causes for concern, although manager Clough refused to be downbeat: "We're certainly not going to get too downhearted about it," Clough told the Burton Mail, "We would be concerned if people were hiding but that is not the case. I couldn't fault anybody for the effort that went in, quality yes because we should have been better in certain areas. Nobody hid, everybody kept having it and that's the only way we are going to get out of this sort of run at home." Albion go back on their travels this coming Saturday when they travel to North London to take on Barnet at Underhill, seeking revenge for their 3-0 drubbing in front of the Sky TV cameras back in August. |
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| Sorry Brewers crash out of Trophy |
| Semi-finalists
last season, the Brewers' involvement in this year's competition came to
a premature end on Saturday as an inspid performance in West Yorkshire saw
Albion crash out to UniBond League Wakefield & Emley. Belle Vue was the scene of one of only two Albion league defeats in their title winning campaign last season, when they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 thanks to a string of defensive errors. It continued to be an unhappy hunting ground this season, and individual error was again behind the Emley winner, and the only goal of the match, ten minutes from time. Simeon Bambrook's free-kick appeared to have been held by Lee Camp, but Albion's loan signing from Derby County let the ball slip from his grasp and Chris Senior was on hand to fire home. |
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| A
torrid afternoon for the Brewers was made worse by the sending off of Dale
Anderson a minute from time for a second bookable offence, and the loss of
Darren Wassall who picked up a groin strain to add to Alboin's mounting injury
crisis. The Brewers are next in action this Saturday when Leigh RMI make their first visit to Eton Park (3pm). |
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| Nine men Brewers sunk by late goals |
| A
bizarre afternoon in East Yorkshire ended with Albion going down to three
Scarborough goals in the dying stages, after having held out at 1-1 until
a minute from time, despite the handicap of having two men sent off in highly
controversial circumstances. It all started so well for the Brewers when Glen Kirkwood fired Albion in front on 13 minutes, but Albion found themselves down to ten men on the half hour when referee David Foster sent off Stuart Reddington for a second bookable offence, the first of a series of controversial and at time bizarre decisions. Boro' levelled five minutes into the second half thanks to a contentious penalty award by referee Foster, Kirkwood being adjudged to have brought down Bimbo Fatokun. |
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| Paul
Shepherd converting from the spot, and it got worse five minutes later when
Albion 'keeper Dan Robinson - making his first team debut in the absence
of Matt Duke - was red-carded for his challenge on Keith Scott. Without a substitute 'keeper on the bench, the Brewers had to put striker Sean Farrell between the sticks and despite a valiant performance from the big man, the Albion goal was breached a minute from time, Fatokun diving in to head home Olivier Brassart's cross. The floodgates opened now, with substitute Jason Blunt getting a brace of goals either side of a seven-minute period of injury time, but despite the harsh looking scoreline, Albion received a standing ovation at the end from their travelling fans at the end of a game in which the performance of the referee was the main talking point. |
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| Duke injury mars Boro win |
| A
goal from Stuart Reddington proved enough for the Brewers to record a
league double over rivals Nuneaton Borough in front of the biggest crowd
of the season at Eton Park. Reddington headed in Andy Sinton's free kick on 24 minutes, and a combination of comical finishing from Boro, and the goalkeeping heroics of Matt Duke prevented Boro getting back into the game. On the down side, Duke's injury which left him requiring lengthy treatment midway through the second half, turned out to be a broken arm, meaning Albion will be withou their first choice keeper for 6-7 weeks. |
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| In
the other match at Eton Park over the festive period, an injury time goal
from Glen Kirkwood earned the Brewers a point in an entertaining clash with
Northwich Victoria. Player manager Jimmy Quinn put Vics ahead against the run of play, but despite having the best of the attacking play and plenty of chances, Albion had to be content with a point. |
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| News - January 2003 | << main >> |
