STOREY DOWNS TIRED BURTON
BURTON Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink blamed fatigue after his side was beaten by a spirited Newport County.
The Exiles recorded their seventh away win of the campaign, courtesy of Miles Storey’s second-half strike, and powered back into the League Two play-off spots as they continue to shrug off the departure of manager Justin Edinburgh.
County have now won both of caretaker boss Jimmy Dack’s away fixtures, all the more impressive as the victories came at Wycombe and now Burton.
But Brewers boss Hasselbaink felt fatigue was a big factor.
“It is frustrating in the sense that it was always going to be a difficult game for us, because it was our third of the week,” he said.
“But what do you do, do you change the team and rotate or do you give the players who lost on Tuesday confidence by keeping faith in them?
“Whatever you say, it was hard for us and easier for them, they looked fresher and we weren’t cute enough in certain areas.
“If our chance when we hit the post goes in you have that to take off the pressure, but it wasn’t meant to be for us.
“It’s only disappointing the way their goal went in. It is a pity, but we have to move on. If we scored first, it’s a different game.”
The first half of this contest had whizzed by with both sides full of endeavour but short on quality, Joe Day saving from Nasser El Khayati, Lucas Atkins and Adam McGurk before he was properly extended, McGurk curling past him and against the upright.
And Dack’s side almost made the Brewers pay, Jon McLaughlin saving brilliantly to deny Mark Byrne whose firm volley looked destined to give the Exiles a shock lead.
However, the Exiles grew with confidence and on the hour mark they did edge in front, Storey volleying home beautifully to complete a fine counter-attacking move.
A response from the hosts never materialised, a McGurk free-kick that drifted harmlessly wide the closest they came to an unlikely equaliser.
And County boss Dack was delighted with the effort from his charges, who are breathing new life into their potential promotion push.
“There is no doubting the quality of Burton,” he said. “They are top for a reason and they always put you under pressure and force things and make the afternoon very difficult.
“But I thought we dealt with that extremely well and got our reward in the end.
“It always looked like the first goal would decide the game and what a goal it was, a seven pass move followed by a fantastic finish. It was a great goal to win a game and it was an impressive all-around team display.
“We are now going to take it one game at a time in terms of trying to get into the play-offs, we’ve had some ups and downs but hopefully now we are back on an up.
“We’ve won at both Wycombe and now Burton.
“That shows not just the quality we have but also the character becasue these are tough places to go to.”