Harriers give the Brewers a much-needed early workout

SBARRA, MCCORMACK ARE ON TARGET IN ALBION WIN

A LAST-gasp win will have gone down well with the Burton Albion players in the away dressing room at Kidderminster Harriers.

The Brewers management on the bench, though, will likely have been more pleased with the workout their side were given against the National League North outfit in a hard-fought friendly clash at Aggborough.

Albion had to battle back from a goal down at half-time to claim the 2-1 triumph, with Joe Sbarra’s second goal in as many pre-season matches cancelling out Ed Williams’ opener for the hosts.

It left triallist Luke McCormick to claim the winning goal, calmly finishing into an empty net when Matty Lund’s well-delivered cross - one of very few Burton put in on the night caused panic in the hosts’ penalty area.

A first victory of the summer will be one the Brewers hope to build on over the coming fortnight, with Nigel Clough keen to see his side rediscover that knack of winning before the proper stuff gets under way on August 4.

But a run-out of this intensity for almost all his squad - plus a few others - will have been the most valuable thing to Clough, because the Harriers really did stretch their League One visitors at times and their willingness to play made for an open and entertaining contest.

While Albion retained the 4-1-4-1 shape from Friday’s defeat to Mickleover Sports, there were switches throughout the starting 11 - inevitable at this stage of pre-season.

Stephen Bywater began in goal, behind a back four of John Brayford - also in for his first outing of the summer - Tomas Egert, Jake Buxton and Damien McCrory.

Ben Fox was the deep-lying midfielder, with Elliott Hodge partnering Scott Fraser centrally.

Marvin Sordell and Lucas Akins were the starting wingers again - and again they switched flanks midway through the opening 45 - with Liam Boyce leading the line.

A little sluggishness is natural in pre-season but there would have been real disappointment, even so, if they had succumbed to Kidderminster’s first chance inside 30 seconds.

Right-back Lee Vaughan latched on to a fine diagonal pass to get in behind McCrory and float a cross to the back post, where a Harriers triallist could not quite head home.

That was a symbol of the intent with which Kidderminster looked to play against their higher-league visitors.

Burton’s early intensity came through Fraser and Hodge, who was looking to catch the eye in his second game on trial.

Despite being primarily a winger, the ex-Notts County man was again placed more central, where he was tasked with getting on the ball and running at the Kidderminster back line.

It was Albion’s defence, though, that would be breached first, as Williams struck inside 14 minutes.

The goal was not a pretty one from the Brewers perspective, with Williams picking up possession and running at a retreating Burton back line before unleashing a low shot that nestled inside the right-hand post of a stranded Bywater.

Clough’s side looked to respond and they had enough ball to do so.

But, too often, sloppiness crept in at the crucial moment, when a quality delivery or a calm head was needed. Sordell, Akins, McCrory and Fox all misplaced key passes in good positions.

It occurred at both ends. Hodge was caught on the ball in his own half by Declan Weeks, who nicked possession and ran through. Under the attentions of the retreating Hodge and Bywater, though, the danger was cleared.

Albion did threaten a leveller before the break, with Boyce watching a low Akins cross skid agonisingly past his despairing dive, before a dipping effort from Sordell was parried behind by Brandon Hall.

Just as at Mickleover on Friday night, though, it took until moments inside the second half for Burton to find the net.

The source of the goal was identical, too.

Sbarra was introduced as one of three half-time substitutes, with Jamie Allen and Kyle McFadzean also coming on to replace Buxton, Brayford and Fox.