Jake: That’s how to fight for the win
JAKE Buxton believes Burton Albion showed characteristics that had previously been lacking in their hardearned win over Shrewsbury Town.
While Liam Boyce gave them a perfect start with a goal after only three minutes, the Brewers struggled to dictate play as they have at times this season and they spent long spells on the back foot.
That was especially the case in the second half, when a mix of Shrewsbury’s attacking momentum and a fierce wind in their faces saw Albion struggle to play out of their own half.
Despite the pressure, Burton allowed the in-form visitors only four shots on target and they proved as ruthless in the opposition box as they were in their defensive work, Scott Fraser making sure of the points in the 81st minute, before Fejiri Okenabirhie’s stoppage-time reply.
Club captain Buxton praised the team for the way they mixed goals with graft to earn a first win in three League One matches.
“I think the manner of the win is the most important thing, because we have fallen short a little bit in fight, endeavour and probably desire, at times,” he said.
“I thought we showed all of those. “Even though we got the goal by playing good football and moving the ball from left to right quite well, to hold on to that one-goal lead for so long and then get another was good. There was a little bit of sloppiness late on to concede.
“Like I said, we stuck at it as a team and we got through it in the second half. You could see the wind and the rain, it was tough to get out.
“We spoke about the fact that we have to find a way to win.
“If we play Blackpool (who beat Albion 3-0 two weeks ago), who are physical and stop-start and don’t allow us to get in our flow and play football, we have to find another way – and we’ve struggled to do that in recent games.
“In she second half, it wasn’t through them stopping us, it was through the weather, the conditions, we couldn’t play the way we wanted to.
“But we still stuck in there, we ground out a result, we stuck together and showed masses of what you’ve got to do to progress in this division.
“We can’t all be pretty and get on the ball and play all the time. You’ve got to dig in, grit your teeth and be a good unit.
“That’s what we were today.” Buxton replaced the injured Kyle McFadzean in the heart of the Burton defence after 57 minutes, meaning it was his longest involvement in a League game since the 3-1 loss at Oxford United in August.
The 33-year-old was then joined off the bench by Ben Turner as Albion looked to withstand Shrewsbury’s varied attacks when the score was 1-0.
So did Buxton relish his introduction into a cagey, battling performance?
“It’s one of those where the lads are in front and you’re coming on and think you’re on a hiding to nothing,” he said.
“It’s ‘if we concede here, who’s going to be the headlines?’
“But you try your best. I give everything I’ve got.
“I’m in that position in my career and at that age where I’m probably not going to play 46 games every season, so I’ve got to make sure I’m ready and prepared if needed in whatever position and whatever time in a game.”