BOND MYSTERY BAFFLES JIMMY

BURTON manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was unhappy with referee Darren Bond’s decision not to send off Fleetwood’s Antoni Sarcevic after the Brewers were hit for four at Fleetwood.

Bond chose to yellow card Sarcevic for a robust challenge on John Mousinho. However, Hasselbaink claimed the decision was a significant error.

He said: “If Sarcevic goes with the elbow, it is a red card, and if the referee thinks that is the case then why give a yellow? I don’t understand.”

The incident occurred with the game at 0-0 and Hasselbaink stated that the lack of a dismissal was “for me the turning point in the game”.

Following the incident, Fleetwood turned in a fine second half performance to win 4-0, with two goals from Bobby Grant and one apiece from Jamie Proctor and Ashley Hunter.

Fleetwood boss Steven Pressley was pragmatic in his praise however, despite the handsome margin of victory.

“The most important thing for us right now is winning games of football, in our predicament the only way we are going to get confidence is by winning games,” he said.

“We cannot get ahead of ourselves, we have a big game in midweek against Sheffield United and the players will be in on Sunday preparing for that.”

Burton started the game as the brighter of the two sides, with forward Stuart Beavon turning sharply and firing just wide after eight minutes.

The home team struggled to make an attacking impact in the opening half hour, with captain Jimmy Ryan’s snapshot their closest effort.

The visitors almost took the lead in the 41st minute, as Matty Palmer crashed a 25-yard strike against the Fleetwood crossbar.

The Brewers were made to pay for their profligacy, as Fleetwood counter-attacked instantly, and broke the deadlock against the run of play. Grant escaped down the right and fired an excellent cross to the far post, and Proctor finished clinically from close range.

Buoyed by their first-half lead, Fleetwood began the second period in determined fashion, with a noticeable increase in tempo.

Burton struggled to cope with the rise in intensity but Fleetwood had to wait until the 57th minute to extend their lead. Proctor turned provider this time, shielding the ball before offloading to Grant, who curled home.

The home side were then happy to absorb any Burton pressure and strike swiftly on the counter attack, as Grant notched his second.

“Grant is a player that can produce these moments of quality. He can make the difference in games like this,”added Pressley.

With the home fans in full voice, the Cod Army put the gloss on their second-half performance with a fourth goal with 11 minutes remaining.

Substitutes Hunter and Jamille Matt combined and the former scrambled the ball home from a yard out.