O’connor now targets Cup glory for Brewers
VALE STAND IN WAY BUT ARE SHORT OF ATTACKING OPTIONS
BURTON Albion midfielder Tom O’connor is looking to help the Brewers build momentum and sweep into the FA Cup third round.
The Brewers are at home against League Two side Port Vale in the second round on Saturday and go into the game in high spirits.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side celebrated consecutive wins in League One, against Accrington Stanley and Doncaster Rovers, with O’connor opening the scoring in the latter.
Now O’connor is aiming to help the Brewers make it three wins on the trot and reach the next stage of the Cup.
But Saturday’s opponents are enjoying a promising campaign in League Two. They are fifth in the table, only a point behind the automatic promotion places following last Saturday’s 2-0 home win against Hartlepool United.
O’connor told the Brewers website: “Hopefully we can keep our momentum going, although it will be a tough game against Port Vale.
“They are doing well in League Two but we will be looking to put in another good performance and get into the next round.
“It was nice to get back to winning ways last Tuesday (against Accrington) on the back of two disappointing performances.
“We also hadn’t had a clean sheet in a while so we talked about that and I thought we looked solid in both the last two games.
“That’s good to see and hopefully we can keep that going.”
Meanwhile, Port Vale manager Darrell Clarke says he has a ‘minicrisis’ in his striking department after George Lloyd joined the longterm injury list.
The on-loan Cheltenham Town striker has been missing with a stomach muscle problem and Clarke says he is likely to be out for a number of weeks.
That leaves the manager short of options ahead of Saturday’s Cup clash against the Brewers because James Wilson is out for up to two months with a broken foot and Jamie Proctor is also on the longterm list with a stomach injury.
Clarke started with Devante Rodney and Dennis Politic up front in Tuesday night’s penalty shoot-out defeat at Rotherham United in the Papa John’s Trophy, bringing on
David Amoo in the second half.
But Amoo and Politic are more naturally wide players, leaving Clarke short of a specialist centre forward until the January transfer window opens.
The manager told the Stoke Sentinel: “We are in a bit of a mini-crisis at the minute, certainly at the top end of the pitch.
“We have had some really bad news on George Lloyd as well. We are short in that area.
“It is difficult at the minute to make sure we are keeping players fresh but also trying to win games as we go along.
“It is testament to the squad – and it will always be about the squad.
“David Amoo and Devante, Dennis Politic, they are pushing and they are getting opportunities. So, we have to keep going but it is a bit of a mini-crisis at the top end, which is unfortunate.”