New boys are quick to feel at home for Brewers
ONLY if Burton Albion had pasted Hull City four or five-nil could Saturday’s win have been more satisfying for all involved with the club.
To have hoped for that was to have hoped for too much, of course, but there can be no underestimating what the Brewers achieved in beating one of the League One front-runners.
To have pulled together a squad with nine new signings in it, got your ideas over to them inside a week and then sent them out looking as if they had played together all season was a superb achievement by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dino Maamria.
The team that lost 5-1 to Oxford United a month ago HAD played together all season but they were nowhere near as co-ordinated as Saturday’s team.
Of course, it is easy to say with hindsight and there are fine lines in any 1-0 win. There were games Burton did not deserve to lose under Jake Buxton, while Saturday’s game might easily have ended in a goalless draw.
If it had, any sensible observer would still have been lauding the performance. Every pitch in the country has taken a battering from rain and snow in the last few weeks and will be heavy going. Every game is likely to be a gritty battle.
Chances were at a premium on Saturday but the fact remains that Hull, whose goal difference and goals-for totals are bettered by only one team in the division, Portsmouth, did not have a shot on target against the Brewers.
There were only two of those and both came from Jonny Smith, the second decisively.
Hasselbaink also got the balance right – hindsight again – when he decided how many of his new signings to bring straight in. All nine would have been pushing it.
In the end, with substitutions, eight of his signings got on the pitch, the exception being goalkeeper Dillon Barnes.
Here is a quick assessment of how they did.
TOM HAMER
The new right-back was decisive, strong, vocal and instantly showed how much he aims to get forward when he stood on the halfway line for kick-off.
His long throws did not trouble Hull but they will be an additional weapon Burton have not often had.
HAYDEN CARTER
We had already seen Carter impress in Hasselbaink’s first two games in charge and while the centre-half will face tougher days than Hull gave him on Saturday, he again did everything calmly and efficiently.
JOSH EARL
The Preston North End loanee was as good as you would hope from a young player with some Championship experience.
A galloping run forward in the first half left defenders trailing but it was the way he policed the Hull forwards and got a decisive foot in in defence that impressed most.
RYAN BROOM
There were promising touches from Peterborough United loanee Broom in the “number 10” role early in the game but his was the quietest of the debuts. Still looks a proper player.
SEAN CLARE
Built on his 15-minute substitute appearance in the last game with a tireless effort in front of the back four. Tall and rangy, he covers the ground quickly and looks to be relishing being back in midfield.
JOSH PARKER
The experienced forward’s first touch let him down too often in the first half.
But he never faded out of the game and showed that when the ball does stick, he is hard to shake off it.
The Hull defenders could not relax against him and when a poor clearance afforded him a couple of yards of space, he produced an exquisite pass to set up the winning goal.
JONNY SMITH
The young winger provided all you could ask of an impact substitution, an instant threat on the right, a couple of dangerous crosses and the only two shots on target.
He showed great technique to
bring down Parker’s pass and score but, before that, the vision to set off full pelt from halfway when he realised a chance might be on.
He is unlikely to remain a substitute.
TERRY TAYLOR
Only 20 minutes for the Wales Under-21 international defensive midfielder when he replaced Ryan Edwards but he slotted in seamlessly with good positioning and some good touches.