Hull of a bad day – but Ben’s a bonus
RECALLED KEEPER GARRATT KEPT BREWERS IN THE GAME AS THEY BATTLED THE ODDS
THERE is no fun in being a goalkeeper without the first team shirt, more so than for players in other positions.
As an outfield player, there are usually several positions you could cover and more chance of an injury or a tactical change giving you the chance to get on the pitch.
A goalkeeper, once out of the side, is more likely to sit and watch for the whole game and then, if you are not even the goalkeeper on the bench, getting a game can really look a long way off.
That is the dilemma which had faced Burton Albion’s Ben Garratt until Saturday.
Dropped after letting a shot from Luke Jephcott slip through his hands and legs to gift Plymouth Argyle the lead in a 2-0 defeat for the Brewers early in October, he then found himself third choice as Albion preferred to put young keeper Teddy Sharman-lowe on the bench as backup to Kieran O’hara.
No-one from Burton would have chosen the way Saturday’s game against Hull went.
The depleted Brewers, missing 12 players through Covid-19, lost Kane Hemmings before kick-off and had Sam Hughes sent off after 18 minutes – virtually condemning them to attempting to repel waves of Hull attacks for the rest of the game.
Perversely, however, such a situation gives a goalkeeper a chance to shine – and shine Garratt most certainly did.
He was back in the team with O’hara among the Covid absentees and Sharman-lowe absent for an England Under-18 training camp.
Garratt’s heroics began just after Hughes’ dismissal, collecting a second yellow card for a foul on Mallik Wilks five yards outside the box on the left.
The free kick was swung into the box, where Jacob Greaves headed down and powerfully towards the bottom left corner before Garratt plunged down to turn the ball around the post.
He was in similar territory a few minutes later to parry a shot from Wilks then, in the last minute of the first half, he took off high to his left to turn over a goalbound header from George Honeyman. Thus, the Brewers made it to half-time without conceding and with half a chance, it seemed, of repelling Hull for another 45 minutes to pick up an elusive clean sheet and a draw that would have felt more like a win.
It was not to be but that was not Garratt’s fault. He has been criticised for not dominating when high balls come into his area but there were two very solid punches away when difficult balls were swung in in the second half, the first resulting in a promising break down the right which Ciaran Gilligan eventually wasted with a wayward pass after skipping past two challenges.
Garratt could do nothing about it when Burton’s defiance was ended by Wilks’ 62nd-minute goal, unsighted through a crowd of players as Wilks lifted in a shot from 12 yards.
But he was soon in action again to keep Burton in the game, saving an effort from Hakeeb Adelukan.
His best effort was to come, when Tom Eaves raced clear on a pass from George Honeyman with only Garratt to beat.
The keeper got everything right and blocked the shot away to safety.
He was beaten by a low, skimming shot from Adelukan after 88 minutes but it had been an exemplary display by Garratt, as manager Jake Buxton acknowledged.
“Ben had a mistake at Plymouth away and came out of the side for Kieran O’hara,” said Buxton.
“He has waited patiently for his opportunity.
“He’s trained well and is great around the group. He’s travelled as third-choice goalkeeper and now he’s taken this opportunity.
“He played well and wasn’t at fault for any of the goals.”
Garratt endured criticism from supporters early in the season, some of it justified, but he had played 246 games for Crewe Alexandra before coming to Burton and had been their player of the year. At 26, he is no beginner and knows his job.
If there was one big positive to come out of the Hull defeat, hopefully, it will be a measure of restored confidence for – and in – Garratt.
Ben has waited patiently for his opportunity and is great around the group. He played well
Jake Buxton