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| Back down to earth |
| The
4-1 thrashing of Hereford seems a distant memory after two defeats in the
space of a week brought the Brewers firmly back down to earth. Tuesday night saw Albion travel to the depths of Lancashire to face former UniBond League adversaries Accrington Stanley. Paul Mullin headed Stanley ahead on the half hour mark, and only a series of fine saves from Matt Duke prevented the hosts adding to their lead, before Robbie Talbot pulled one back for the Brewers just before the break. Unfortunately Duke blotted his copy book in the second half by spilling Steve Hollis' 25-yard free-kick into the net. Albion threatened to claw something out of the game with a late rally, but a controversial penalty decision in stoppage time confirmed the victory for Stanley. |
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| Lutel
James went down under the challenge of Henshaw, opted to take the spot-kick
himself, and blasted it high over the bar. Leeds Referee Philip Bradley gave
the Stanley player another chance, having apparently spotted an encroachment,
and he made no mistake with the retake. A bad week was completed when the Brewers went down by the same scoreline at Aldershot Town on Saturday. Jason Chewins and Lee Charles put the Shots firmly in the driving seat with goals either side of half time, before Aaron Webster gave Albion a glimmer of hope, converting from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time. It took just five minutes for the Shots to re-establish their two-goal cushion however, Aaron McLean slotting home to continue the Shots' impressive start in their first season in the Conference , and leaving the Brewers firmly entrenched in the mid-table mire. Albion will be hoping to continue their good record in Friday night games when Exeter City visit Eton Park this Friday, kicking off at 7.45pm. |
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| Hat-trick hero sends Bulls crashing |
| There's
something about night matches at Eton Park, and Friday evening's demolition
of runaway leaders Hereford United will be one of those games to live long
in the memory once the bulldozers move in. Missing three key players through injury and suspension - Steve Chettle a late addition to the list of absentees through flu - the Brewers spectacularly ended the Bulls' proud unbeaten record - seven victories in eight games before Friday - and in the process chalked up their biggest ever Conference victory, with close season signing Robbie Talbot, the hero of the night, bagging a hat-trick. |
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| Albion
had the better of the early stages, although Hereford had the ball in the
net first, Danny Williams' effort being ruled out by an offside flag. A fine
setpiece move saw the Brewers go ahead on 19 minutes, Aaron Webster's long
throw being flicked on by Jon Howard, withTalbot arriving just at the right
time to head past Bulls' 'keeper Matt Baker. Baker denied Howard with a fine save on the half hour mark, but the Brewers midfielder could not be denied two minutes before half time, picking up the ball 15 yards out after good work from Glenn Kirkwod to curl the ball past Baker and into the net. The half time interval saw some unpleasant scenes with some of the Hereford fans charging into the Popside and the pitch, and sporadic fighting breaking out, but the bitter taste was washed away as Albion resumed their spellbinding performance when play resumed, Dale Anderson's run from deep culminating in a ball out to Talbot on the right, the Scouser cutting inside his marker to fire home to the delight of the home fans in a crowd of 2,532. |
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Hereford
briefly threatened a fightback when Paul Parry drove a low shot past Duke
15 minutes from time, but within the space of four minutes another incisive
counter-attack killed off the Bulls' hopes once and for all, Talbot capitalizing
on Andy Tretton's slip to fire a left-foot shot just inside the post. Talbot received a standing ovation when he was substituted eight minutes from time, and so comfortable was their grip on the game by this stage that 39-year old assistant manager Gary Crosby made a rare onfield appearance alongside his manager, replacing Darren Wassall as substitute. |
| The victory, which lifts Albion up to eighth in the table, was a real coming-of-age moment for the Brewers in their second season in the Conference, but the tough ties keep on coming, with two trips to newly-promoted clubs in the space of a week. Albion head North to Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night (7.45pm), then make their first visit to the Recreation Ground, home of Aldershot Town, since their FA Cup giantkilling of the Shots 19 years ago. |
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| Brewers make their point |
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late stunner from Glen Kirkwood earned the Brewers a point from an entertaining
clash with Telford United at the New Buck's Head. In bright sunshine, Albion had started the better, with only a linesman's flag denying Dale Anderson an early opener with just three minutes on the clock. Brewers fans didn't have to wait long for their side to find the net though, Anderson turning provider four minutes later with a penetrating run and cross for Glen Kirkwood to fire home. |
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| The
game was turned on it's head though as sloppy defending allowed Bucks striker
John Grant to grab a brace of goals either side of the interval, and
a Telford victory looked on the cards until Grant received his marching orders
20 minutes from the end for a challenge on Steve Chettle. The Brewers threw men forward to try and make the most of their advantage in numbers, and their reward came four minutes from the end, Glen Kirkwood curling in a stunning shot out of reach of former Nuneaton 'keeper Chris McKenzie from 20 yards out, to the delight of the travelling Albion fans. A dream end to the match was only prevented by a fine acrobatic save from McKenzie to push Lee Colkin's floater from the left, bound for the top corner, over the bar. A draw was probably a fair result and their dramatic late equalizer will put the Brewers in good heart for the visit of league leaders Hereford United to Eton Park on Friday night (7.45pm). Albion's first home win of last season came on another Friday night match against the Bulls last season, although this year the Brewers have already got off the mark on home soil - goals from Dale Anderson and Christian Moore giving them a 2-0 victory over Woking last Saturday. |
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| Sugden an £11,000 Shrimp |
| Ryan
Sugden is leaving the Brewers, after less than a month at Eton Park, in a
bizarre twist to the weekend's 2-1 defeat at Morecambe. The club agreed terms with the Lancashire outfit for the 23-year old striker during Saturday's game at Christie Park, with Albion to receive £11,000 for the player they signed on a free transfer from Chester City in the close season. Sugden, a transfer target of Nigel Clough since his loan spell with the Brewers at the end of the 2000-2001 season, made only two starts in what proved to be a short-lived second spell with the club. He's leaving because of 'personal reasons'. |
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| The
£11,000 fee effectively cancels out the sum the Brewers are set to receive
for Robbie Talbot, who joined Albion from Morecambe in the Summer. Talbot was one of two ex-Shrimps (the other being Lee Colkin) making an appearance in Saturday's game, which saw the Brewers squander a 51st minute lead given to them courtsey of a powerful header from Barry Williams. The lead lasted less than 30 seconds, with a lightning Morecambe attack from the restart culminating in Dean Howell's 15-yard shot past Duke, and Stewart Drummond's header from Ryan Zico-Black's cross seven minutes from time completed another miserable trip to the North West coast for Albion. |
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| News - September 2003 | << main >> |
