Woodrow chops down Forest
NIGEL Clough feels Burton Albion will need at least three more wins to avoid the relegation trapdoor.
Cauley Woodrow hit the only goal of a tight game as the Brewers beat Nottingham Forest to make it six games without defeat.
Albion remain just three points above safety after Bristol City’s late victory as things tighten up at the foot of the table.
And Clough, who rejected an approach to manage his late father’s former side in January, said: “It’s a valuable three points.
“We didn’t play well, but it’s an important three points for us.
“We got the goal and defended as though our lives depended on it and that’s what got us the win.
“[John] Brayford was outstanding and made a vital tackle. It’s things like that that get us results. He led from the front.
“The players are relishing the situations where we are holding on to leads, you can see the determination on their face not to concede.
“It’s getting tighter at the bottom. We are going to need to get to 50 points and maybe more.
“There was a freak season when Peterborough went down with more than 50 points recently so we have to guard against that.
“It would have been easier if Bristol City had not got a late winner. We will keep ticking the games off and we are one game nearer safety.”
Interim Forest boss Gary Brazil said his side must now fight hard to get out their relegation dogfight, having fallen behind Burton into 19th – two points above the drop.
“There was not a lot in the game,” he said. “We showed naivety giving possession away in our defensive third.
“That cost us the goal but beyond that Burton didn’t create much. It is causing us problems that we are not creating many chances.
“It is not a good result, it is disappointing for us. We have to be realistic about things and have to admit where we are.
“We have got to show character and come together to get out of this situation.
“We have the quality as we showed against Brighton, but we are not consistent enough and we need to find it again.
“Too often we are not creating chances and we need to remedy that quickly.
“The strikers have got quality and we do a lot of work in training with them.
“We have got to show fight and now on match day and earn our money.”
Ben Brereton saw a shot saved by the legs of Jon McLaughlin before Zach Clough had shouts for a penalty waved away on 16 minutes.
But Woodrow fired the Brewers ahead with a brilliant free-kick on 26 minutes after Jackson Irvine had been fouled.
It was nearly 2-0 moments later when Lasse Vigen Christensen fired Luke Varney’s cutback just over.
McLaughlin was out fast to smother Brereton’s effort on 40 minutes as Forest struggled to get going.
David Vaughan beat his man and hit a low drive from 25 yards wide on 64 minutes.
A minute later sub Matty Cash was stopped by a brilliant John Brayford challenge as he raced into the box in a positive period for Forest.
McLaughlin got down well to hold an effort from Brereton as the visitors continued to push, but time eventually ran out.