BOYCIE BONUS LIFTS BREWERS
LIAM BOYCE’S third goal in as many games secured Burton Albion’s first league victory of the season at the Pirelli Stadium.
Two minutes into the second half the Irishman struck to deadly effect, firing in via a post, after superb work in midfield from Scott Fraser before the Scot unselfishly played him in.
In an evenly matched first half, Joe Sbarra and Marvin Sordell went close for the Brewers with shots from distance, but it was Doncaster striker John Marquis who was guilty of squandering the best opportunity, sidefooting wide from eight yards, Herbie Kane having found him unmarked after the Burton defence had been carved open.
After going behind, Rovers threatened an equaliser with Joe Wright thumping a header wide and Mallik Wilks showing plenty of pace and trickery down the right to send an angled effort inches wide of the goal. Substitute Paul Taylor almost rescued a point with a free-kick on the edge of the box that was saved by Stephen Bywater.
A relieved Burton manager Nigel Clough was pleased to see his side secure the precious victory over previously unbeaten Doncaster.
“It was an unbelievably tough game.” Clough said after seeing Boyce score and then watch Rovers pile on the pressure in search of an equaliser.
“I think we had a little bit of good fortune out there at times. They missed two or three good chances and that was the difference from the Rochdale game on the opening day. Rochdale scored theirs chance and Doncaster missed theirs.
“I think you saw though why they [Doncaster] have won their opening three games. They looked confident with good players and we had to do everything just to hang in there at times.”
Boyce is on a rich vein of scoring form and Clough was quick to praise his record signing.
“Liam gets goals and he is a team player as well. We want to make sure that he keeps getting goals. We love his team play, but his main job is to score goals and he is doing that for us at the moment.”
For Rovers boss Grant McCann it was a first defeat of the season after flying out of the traps, but the Irishman admitted his side were not good enough to take the points in East Staffordshire.
“We were disappointing. I won’t hide behind anything” he said. “It’s been a decent start with three wins from the first four games and this will be a big test of character for the next three games. We want to respond in the right fashion. “I think Burton deserved to win the game. We weren’t good enough, it’s as simple as that.”