Four points is a good week’s work, Brewers
CHRIS Beardsley hailed four points from two tough games as a good week’s work for Burton Albion, despite the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser to Sunderland on Tuesday night.
The Brewers had taken the lead after an hour through Charles Vernam’s second goal in successive games but were pushed back for long spells as the Black Cats brought on three strikers from the bench.
It was midfielder Max Power who got the goal, not long after Will Grigg had rattled the post, and Sunderland certainly deserved their point.
“It’s nice to get four points from two games against Charlton Athletic and Sunderland, two top teams at this level, and now we’ll get the boys ready for Saturday, physically and tactically,” said Beardsley, who is multi-tasking as coach, sports scientist and, effectively, manager Jake Buxton’s assistant.
“I think we were quite structured without the ball. We were patient, we were professional and when we had a chance to break, we tried to.
“In the first half, we could have done it with more quality and retained the ball better as well.
“In the second half we got the goal, the boys grew in confidence and it would have been nice to hold on – but we’ll take the point and move on to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.”
Beardsley also took it as a plus that Burton did not buckle and concede again late in the game. “Sunderland overloaded it (with strikers) and it was a good quality cross and header for the equaliser,” he said.
“When it went to 1-1, I thought the lads coped with the last 10 minutes quite well, with the stoppages and the injury (to Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien) but we saw the game out to secure the point, which was another positive from the evening.
“It was (nervy). We ended up playing 99 minutes in the end but the lads dealt with everything that was thrown at them.”
Burton’s goal would have been a pleasing one from the management’s point of view, with Vernam in the right place to capitalise after home keeper Remi Matthews spilled a powerful shot from Joe Powell.
“We just tell the players to hit the target,” said Beardsley.
“Joe Powell did really well, he rolled his man, then he gave the keeper something to do and Charles Vernam was on the move – they are lovely goals for forwards to get.
“I said when Charles signed, he is a young lad with talent. He’s had a bit of a stop-start with us but he’s a threat and it’s good for his confidence to get two in two.
“Once he scored, he grew into the game and he is going to be a good asset for this club.”
Addressing the Brewers’ poor start to the season, Beardsley alluded to some of the mitigating factors, such as injuries, a Covid-19 interruption and the long break from football between seasons.
He thinks the squad as a whole is only just getting up to speed.
“The players had six months off professional football and then they’re trying to find their legs again, it’s almost like coming back from an injury,” he said.
“We have had to be patient but we are close to getting a full squad now.
“In the last two games, the boys who have had Covid have found their legs and their lungs again.
“I didn’t realise the impact it would have on them. It’s taken a couple of games.”
Kane Hemmings is still out and will not be rushed back, although his quad injury is not a serious one.
“It’s a long, hard season, it will be more condensed than any season will have been, so you try to look after the players with niggles and knocks,” said Beardsley.
“But now we have laid some foundations in terms of the team ethic, more than anything, in terms of the work they are prepared to put in for the shirt, for their teammates, in terms of the camaraderie of the squad.”
We ended up playing 99 minutes in the end but the lads dealt with everything that was thrown at them.
Chris Beardsley