JFH: Boys brilliant at times and kept right on going
JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink was relieved to see Burton Albion grab a late draw against Plymouth Argyle – but felt his side were worth all three points.
Ryan Broom’s first goal for the club, three minutes into stoppage time, salvaged a 1-1 draw after Ryan Hardie had given Plymouth a 68thminute lead.
The Brewers had been especially good in the first half, when Plymouth keeper Michael Cooper was forced to make a string of saves, Burton eventually getting 11 of 21 shots on target.
“I think we deserved the three points,” said Hasselbaink.
“In the first half we were excellent and created a lot of opportunities. Danny Rowe gave us something different. He’s getting fitter and fitter, he created chances for us and normally you would score two.
“In the second half, we didn’t create as much as we should have done but our mentality kept us in the game and we got the reward in the end.
“When we went behind, we showed character and kept on going. Even after we scored we showed personality to keep on going.
“We weren’t satisfied with the draw but I’m extremely happy with the boys’ commitment and their desire.
“Sometimes, the chips are going to be down but what you can’t do is cave in. You have to keep on going, keep on believing and keep being together and we did that.
“We’ll make bad balls and good balls but you can argue about the bad balls later.
“The game is going on and we need solutions, not pointing fingers. I think they did that extremely well.”
Sometimes, the Plymouth goal was leading a charmed life, especially in the first half, and it had begun to look as if they might end up frustrated.
“Sometimes it didn’t drop for us but we had enough chances,” said Hasselbaink.
“We had one v ones with the goalie, we had headers and shots. You have to keep on working for it, make your own luck and we did.”
Plymouth scored when Hardie capitalised on a long ball forward to lob keeper Ben Garratt and there were a couple of tricky moments, dealt with by Garratt, in the first half, when former Burton loanee Niall Ennis went through on goal.
“We had trouble with their long ball behind us, because of the pitch,” said Hasselbaink.
“The ball normally slides through to the goalkeeper. I love the sun being out but the water on the pitch dried very quickly and it’s, at the moment, quite sandy, so the ball is getting stuck.
“We should have done better with that. It’s how the (Plymouth) goal came as well.
“But, overall, I think we were brilliant, especially in the first half. In the second half, what did we give away? Only the goal.
“We didn’t create as much as we could or should but our mentality kept us in the game and we forced it a bit with two strikers on.”
Even after Burton scored, they were claiming a penalty in their last attack when Hayden Carter’s header appeared to be blocked by Will Aimson’s hand.
“I thought we should have had a penalty,” said Hasselbaink.
”It was a blatant handball and the referee was right in front of it but didn’t give it. You still have to score it but it would have been an opportunity.
“But we take the point. We are happy with the performance but we are not satisfied and that has to be a good place to be.
“That’s the mentality we want to maintain all around the club.”