Pass masters end Brewers’ run as Fraser nets on return
BURTON Albion’s race to safety in League One hit a bump in the road with Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Milton Keynes Dons.
It was, of course, unrealistic to wonder if the Brewers’ exceptional recent run of results might mean they would get through the rest of the season without another defeat.
The visitors brought Albion’s seven-match unbeaten run to an end with an efficient display on a day when their intricate passing game came off without the mistakes such tactics can often bring.
Milton Keynes also dealt better than most recent opponents with Burton’s pressing game and the Brewers found little fluency going forward.
Opponents know what to expect from Albion now. Winger Jonny Smith is being closely marked and there is not really an equivalent player on the opposite wing. The challenge now is to adapt.
As it turned out, Burton had more real chances but, as manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink conceded, it was their visitors who deserved the three points.
Hasselbaink made one change to the starting line-up from the midweek game against Blackpool, Terry Taylor coming in for the injured Danny Rowe, meaning the starting 11 were the same as against Crewe Alexandra the previous Saturday.
Milton Keynes, however, were not harrassed into the mistakes that Crewe had been, their game looking in good order from the off.
They had the first chance after seven minutes when, following a corner, Matt O’Riley crossed from
the right and Dean Lewington headed a foot over.
A pass forward from Lucas Akins found Kane Hemmings offside but Burton were being pressed back and the visitors took a 15th-minute lead from the penalty spot.
Tom Hamer stopped a through ball reaching Scott Fraser but handled it as he fell.
He felt Fraser pushed him but the former Brewers midfielder’s spotkick found the net despite Ben Garratt going the right way and almost managing to stop it.
The Brewers were trying to involve Smith, who brings long passes down superbly, but it was not a day when he was able to get past defenders.
Meanwhile, Milton Keynes’ slick passing continued to cause problems and former Derby County striker Cameron Jerome was not far away from a second goal after 21 minutes. He fouled Garratt as they reached a through ball together on the edge of the box, the whistle going before he rolled in a shot from 12 yards.
It was 27 minutes before Burton had the first chance to utilise Hamer’s long throw but it came to nothing, as did a second one a minute later. It is something else that opponents are getting wise to – both
Blackpool and the Dons dealt with them well.
Sean Clare was late on O’Riley to be booked after 43 minutes and it seemed to have a lot to do with the Brewers’ growing frustration.
They had a chance to equalise a minute before half-time, though, when John Brayford got a touch to a free kick whipped in by Taylor from the right but keeper Andrew Fisher reacted well to punch the ball away.
Taylor had a shot blocked in the last action of the first half, after another long throw, but Albion had been second best in the half.
The visitors got the second half going with a terrific run by Josh McEachran out of defence which led to O’Riley shooting over.
But the Brewers came closest yet to a goal after 49 minutes. Finally, Milton Keynes misplaced a couple of passes, bringing some pressure on
themselves, and when Smith crossed from the right, Akins volleyed goalwards to bring a smart save from Fisher.
Hemmings followed up but was flagged offside.
It was better from Burton and Hemmings won a free kick on the left after 55 minutes.
This was not cleared but Brayford could not connect properly with a difficult volleyed chance.
The Brewers had a mountain to climb after 61 minutes when the Dons scored again and, unusually in recent weeks, the defending was uncertain.
O’Riley’s corner from the left saw both Harry Darling and Ethan Laird win headers before Warren O’Hora found himself unmarked to supply the decisive one, nodding beyond Garratt from six yards.
Whether either centre-half or Gar
Burton had more real chances but, as Hasselbaink conceded, the visitors deserved the points.
ratt himself might have intervened with the ball in the air is no doubt something Hasselbaink will be dissecting today.
Hayden Carter, with his fifth yellow in six games, and Hemmings, growing increasingly frustrated at the pattern of the game, were booked for late tackles. They were clear-cut decisions but neither side had been happy with referee Ross Joyce’s willingness to blow up for the slightest contact and it had led to a fractious atmosphere on the pitch and in the dugouts.
Albion had shown few signs of threatening to get back into the game but, from nowhere, they grasped a 74th-minute lifeline.
Hamer swapped passes with
Akins and, racing into the area, was tripped by Laird.
Akins buried the spot-kick confidently and, suddenly, Milton Keynes had some defending to do.
Carter hooked a stoppage time chance over the bar, a volley as awkwardly high as Brayford’s had been earlier, after a Hamer throw and the visitors survived a couple of late corners before substitute Mike Fondop headed a chance straight at Fisher.
Had they equalised, the Brewers would have been fortunate to take a point.
At least their previous results have ensured that this slip has not done much damage to the overall picture and the chance to bounce back comes quickly.