Battling point will do nicely for Brewers as they draw with Accy
BURTON Albion’s first goalless draw of the season brought them a hardfought point away to Accrington Stanley to start their Easter programme.
In a scrappy game of few clear chances, Jonny Smith came closest to breaking the deadlock when he hit the bar for Burton in the first half.
Disappointing as the game was as a spectacle, the point was useful to the Brewers with other sides around them losing, while for the home side it was a good reaction to conceding seven goals in their previous match.
With Michael Bostwick ruled out, on-loan full-back Josh Earl was restored to the starting line-up for the first time since his sending off against Sunderland in February.
Earl lined up at left-back, Tom Hamer moved to the right and John Brayford partnered Hayden Carter at centre-back.
In a largely scrappy first half, with both sides sending long balls in a high wind, the Brewers largely had the better of things the more it wore on – and when they started to get the ball down more.
Brayford had to concede the first corner after four minutes under pressure from Dion Charles but that came to nothing.
Burton’s first accurate long ball forward then caught Lucas Akins offside.
After six minutes, Sean McConville’s eyes lit up with a yard of space 22 yards out but the Accrington stalwart’s shot was wildly high.
Within a minute, Paul Smyth had hit a more accurate shot which bounced just in front of Ben Garratt but the Burton keeper smothered the ball at the second attempt.
Burton’s first attempt came from Sean Clare after he exchanged passes with Akins in the 13th minute but he dragged it well wide from 22 yards.
The Brewers began to have a bit of a spell but a couple of Tom Hamer long throws and a Jonny Smith free kick delivered low into the box from the inside left channel came to nothing.
Smith volleyed well over when a half chance fell to him inside the area and when Michael Mancienne flicked on a Hamer throw it went straight into the arms of keeper Toby Savin.
Smyth shot wide again for Accrington, the home side being restricted to attempts from distance and the Brewers came closest to a goal after 40 minutes.
They broke forward when Ryan Edwards intercepted the ball in the centre circle and he found Smith with a good pass on the right.
The winger made space for himself and Savin might have got a touch to a fierce shot which crashed down off the underside of the bar.
As Accrington struggled to clear, the ball came back to Smith at the edge of the box but his next effort was comfortable for Savin.
Hamer soon had the chance to launch a long throw in the second half but referee Seb Stockbridge blew for a free kick to Accrington as the ball bounced in the box.
The ball was spending too long in the air again early in the second half but Kane Hemmings did well to win a corner on the right after controlling a long ball forward from Mancienne. Savin, however, caught Smith’s corner easily.
Mancienne was booked after 53 minutes when he slid in late on Seamus Conneely.
Accrington were now launching long balls relentlessly and had a chance to create danger with a free kick from the right after 58 minutes.
The kick itself was cleared but led to a spell of pressure from the home side.
Accrington had a long throw exponent of their own in Smyth but one from him on the right was headed harmlessly high and wide by Harvey Rodgers.
A good run by Clare on the left just after the hour threatened but Savin gathered his low cross when Akins could not reach it.
Back came Accrington with a run of three corners, two coming after shots were blocked, but the third resulted in a free kick to Burton.
Charles shot over when Smyth pulled an inviting ball back from the byeline and the striker shot over.
Burton won a 70th-minute corner, which led to Carter hooking a shot high over the bar. Two more corners soon followed, to no avail, and with 15 minutes left, neither side had made a change.
The Brewers did make a switch with 10 minutes left, Mike Fondop, perhaps better suited to this sort of battle, replacing Hemmings.
Colby Bishop reached a Smyth cross from the right ahead of the Burton centre-halves after 83 minutes but headed a couple of yards over.
Only two minutes of stoppage time were needed and, in the first of them, substitute Adam Phillips drove in a shot from the left and Charles turned the ball over the bar.
Seconds later, Charles had another chance but Garratt rushed off his line to block the shot and ensure Burton kept their clean sheet.