KANE’S BRACE EARNS POINT FOR ALBION
ALBION GO TOE-TO-TOE WITH HIGH-FLYERS AND HEAD HOME WITH DESERVED POINT
KANE Hemmings struck twice as Burton Albion thwarted in-form Peterborough United’s bid to extend their blemish-free October form with a sixth straight win.
The Brewers, who went into the fixture rock bottom of League One, were good value for their point, coming from behind twice in a spirited display that was good enough to have taken all three on another night, giving as good as they got in an even contest that saw both sides matching each other for chances.
This trip to the Weston Homes Stadium always looked likely to be a tough one for the Brewers.
Darren Ferguson’s team have been flying of late, determined to right the perceived wrongs of last season, when the points-per-game calculation applied at the curtailment of the League One programme saw them miss out on a play-off spot by an agonising 0.02 points.
The Posh, who knocked the Brewers out of the Football League Trophy after a 3-3 draw at this stadium last month, lost two of their opening three matches in the new League One season but have since won five off the reel.
Brewers manager Jake Buxton made one change to the side that took a point against AFC Wimbledon at the Pirelli Stadium last Saturday, giving on-loan Wolves striker Niall Ennis an impressive first start alongside Hemmings, with defender Neal Eardley the one to drop out as Albion switched to a back three.
It was not long before they were trailing as Peterborough’s former Bristol Rovers front man Jonson Clarke-harris bagged his fifth goal of the season.
The visitors had been showing some promising attacking intent but when Posh responded, Brewers failed to properly clear from a 10thminute free kick and Clarke-harris diverted Frankie Kent’s volley out of the reach of keeper Kieran O’hara.
Ennis began to show his quality as he grew into the contest, using his strength to get into a shooting position on 25 minutes, Kent intercepting and going mightily close to an own goal as the ball drifted just wide of the post for a corner.
And it was Ennis who produced a high-quality touch as Brewers levelled six minutes later with a third goal in four matches from Hemmings.
Indiana Vassilev created the opening with a forceful run into the inside-left channel and when he drove the ball into the box, Ennis set up his team-mate with the deftest of back-heel flicks and Hemmings finished emphatically.
Hemmings almost set up a second when his long-range effort bounced away from Posh keeper Christy Pym into the path of Vassilev but the young Aston Villa loanee could only turn it over the bar.
Steven Lawless then found Ennis
on the right for a half-chance sent just wide as Brewers finished the opening half strongly.
Yet they fell behind for a second time only three minutes after the restart after conceding a penalty.
After a corner on the right, Kent thumped a header against the woodwork from Siriki Dembele’s whipped-in cross and as the Brewers tried to clear the danger, Sam Hughes brought down Mark Beevers, referee Paul Howard instantly pointing to the spot.
As Clarke-harris stepped up, O’hara flung himself to his left to make a fine stop but as the ball spun away from him Peterborough’s Joe Ward was fastest to it to restore the home side’s lead.
But the Brewers, putting in an excellent display, stormed back to level for a second time on the hour, Hemmings on hand to tuck away his second of the night after a left-foot shot by Lawless had come back off the woodwork with Pym beaten.
O’hara kept the scores level, beating away a curling Ward free kick after Lucas Akins had conceded a foul but the Brewers had a let-off after 76 minutes when Peterborough’s dead-ball specialist rattled the crossbar with O’hara beaten.
Ryan Broom, who had been on the field barely seconds, followed up but sent his header over.
The contest looked either side’s to win as the clock ticked into the last 10 minutes.
Ryan Edwards, on for a tiring Ennis, went close for the visitors before Broom spurned a chance to put Posh in front for a third time with a wayward finish after being sent clean through.
Honours even was a fair outcome.