JIMMY’S MEN SECURE TITLE IN DRAMATIC FINISH AT U’S
Brewers toast a thrilling comeback
BURTON manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink wanted his side to win League Two on their own terms and, despite being reduced to ten men, they did just that on the final day against Cambridge United.
Shrewsbury’s defeat to Plymouth meant that Burton would have walked away with the championship no matter what the result at The Abbey Stadium.
With 20 minutes left, it looked as if they would end a wonderful season with defeat after they had goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin sent off and Robbie Simpson’s penalty put them 2-1 behind.
But the Brewers – on the ground where they lost the Conference playoff semi-final seven years ago – showed just the sort of spirit that has made them champions and ensured League One football for the first time in their history.
Despite being a man light, they retook control of the game and Kevin Stewart’s late winner made sure they ended the campaign on the ultimate high.
Hasselbaink said: “I’m very, very happy and we wanted to do it ourselves, not rely on other people to win.
“We wanted to come here and put our own stamp on the game and we wanted to come here and win.
“That’s why when we went down to
ten men we kept on going and kept on believing. Then Phil Edwards comes up with an amazing goal and then Kevin gets the winner. It’s been an amazing season. Since I’ve come into it we’ve had 30 matches and this was the first time we’ve had two goals against us.
“I’m very proud of the players because they have guts and you have to have guts to come back like that as you have to work a little bit harder when you have one player less.”
Burton settled themselves by going ahead after 11 minutes when Stuart Beavon was left unmarked to head in Damien McCrory’s cross.
Tom Naylor, who spent time on loan at the U’s earlier in the season, then nodded over after Lukas Akins had tricked his way past Greg Taylor. And Cambridge were to draw level as Sulley Kaikai’s free-kick bent towards the back post and Tom Elliott wanted it most as he powered his header into the net.
The Brewers had what looked a good shout for a penalty waved away just after half-time when Beavon went down under Josh Coulson’s challenge but the referee was unmoved.
Akins then shot just wide after playing a one-two with Adam McGurk but McLaughlin was to see red for giving away a penalty by bringing down Harrison Dunk in the area.
Sub goalkeeper Scott Shearer was just about beaten from the spot by Simpson but the ten men of Burton were by no means finished.
With 13 minutes left, Edwards hammered in a fantastic free-kick from 25 yards into the top corner to bring his side level in spectacular fashion.
And the Brewers won it in the 89th minute when Cambridge goalkeeper Will Norris couldn’t hold on to Abdenasser El Khayati’s cut-back and Stewart tapped into an empty net.
Cambridge’s first season back in the Football League tailed off after they took Manchester United to a replay in the FA Cup and their boss Richard Money thought the finish to the game summed up their year.
He said:“There was a lot of promise but in the end we were found wanting in the key areas at key moments.
“It pretty much sums up our season but you can obviously say that they responded in the way champions do.
“They’re obviously a good team but to lose the game from where we were, 2-1 up, is disappointing and shouldn’t happen.
“Whatever has happened this afternoon, people have to remember where this club has come in the last two years and it’s down to this group of players in the main.”