Smith’s strike is enough to haul Albion out of the bottom four
ALBION PICK UP AFTER THE BREAK YET AGAIN
BURTON Albion are out of the bottom four in League One for the first time since October after again coming good in the second half to beat Bristol Rovers 1-0.
A brilliant goal by Jonny Smith proved enough as the Brewers overcame a disjointed first half in which Rovers could have taken the lead.
With only Northampton Town of the Brewers’ relegation rivals winning as well, Burton climbed to 18th.
Unlike last week against Charlton Athletic, it was decided that captain John Brayford could manage a midweek game after a Saturday and he retained his place.
Manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made one change, bringing in Michael Mancienne for his first start in place of Danny Rowe.
Mancienne looked calm playing in front of the back four, a move which allowed Ryan Edwards to get further forward, but, generally, the Brewers struggled in a disjoined first half.
Michael Bostwick sent a header well off target from Tom Hamer’s first long throw of the night.
Both sides were playing the ball forward long and early but Bristol were soon doing it better and Burton were relieved to see Luke Leahy, twice, and Sam Nicholson caught offside when balls found them running forward unmarked.
When a ball found Nicholson onside after 17 minutes, bouncing through to him, Ben Garratt got down to make a good blocking save.
Brandon Hanlan got clear as well but Hayden Carter, who had a strong half, got back to block him.
Burton had a corner on the right after 18 minutes and when it was not fully cleared, Smith hit a tame shot from the edge of the box which was easy for tall keeper Jordi van Stappershoef.
Back at the other end, a cross from
Alex Rodman on the right was laid back by Hanlan and Zain Westbrooke shot over from 16 yards.
Carter, still up from a free kick, had a shot deflected for a corner after 25 minutes but Burton were still not getting much change from the Rovers defence.
After 28 minutes, Garratt was off his line sharply to gather when Hanlan raced on to Nicholson’s through ball.
Fondop was warned by referee Charles Breakspear after the latest of a series of clumsy fouls and, after 34 minutes, Hasselbaink had seen enough and took the big striker off, sending on Joe Powell, with Lucas Akins moving into the centre.
Luke McCormick, receiving a short free kick from Westbrooke, drove a shot wide after 39 minutes and Burton were fortunate to get to half-time still on terms.
A first really cohesive move forward by Burton after 49 minutes, in which Hamer was involved twice, saw Powell fluff his shot when the left-back squared the ball to him.
Bristol were down to 10 men after 52 minutes in foolish fashion. Van Stappershoef had to clear quickly into touch when Smith chased down a header back towards the keeper and when McCormick kicked the ball away to prevent a quick throw, he received a second yellow card, having been booked earlier for fouling Ryan Edwards.
The Brewers took the lead after 55 minutes with a moment of magic from Smith. After a patient build-up on the right, Smith took the ball from Akins, accelerated inside to make roomf and curled a superb shot into the far corner of the net.
It was nearly two in the 59th minute when Edwards came in from the left, played the ball to Akins, received a backheeled return and had his shot blocked out for a corner.
A scrappy period followed before the Brewers made two changes in the 69th minute, Kane Hemmings replacing Akins and Terry Taylor replacing Mancienne.
With 20 minutes left, Rovers had not got close to the Burton box, unlike in the first half.
It could have been two for Burton after 76 minutes when Powell burst forward, swapped passes with Edwards and dinked a cross from the left but Hemmings, two yards out, mistimed his jump and the ball slid wide off the side of his head.
Hamer forced van Stappershoef to a sprawling save to his left and Burton were keeping the ball much better now than in the first half.
The keeper also had to get down and save after 81 minutes when Smith again cut in from the right.
Leahy had to be at full stretch to
deny Hemmings from close range with four minutes left after Powell crossed from the left to set him up.
Powell had been excellent since he came on and he forced another save from van Stapperhoef as the game entered stoppage time.
There was danger in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Carter fouled Jonah Ayunga 25 yards out but Leahy’s shot
Hamer blocked a Rodman shot away for a corner and Grant, unmarked, headed that over as the