Garratt held off challengers in goal but Kovar impressed at end of season
BOTH KEEPERS EMERGED IN CREDIT IN DIFFICULT TIMES
With Burton Albion’s 2021-22 season passing into memory, we now take a look at the squad who represented the club during a frustrating campaign which nonetheless included some highlights and in which some players enhanced their reputations, others less so. Starting today with the goalkeepers.
BURTON Albion principally used two goalkeepers during the 2021-22 season and both Ben Garratt and Matej Kovar emerged with credit overall, while four others were scarcely involved.
BEN GARRATT
Restored to the first team by
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in January 2021, Garratt played a key role in the previous season’s Great Escape and there were few dissenting voices when he was again first choice at the start of this season.
He seemed infused with a confidence that had not always been apparent, more inclined to come for crosses, confident with the ball at his feet and a good shot-stopper – he was rarely beaten in one-on-ones.
At 28, he looked a keeper mastering his trade and saves at crucial points in matches probably saved or earned the Brewers more than a dozen points during the first half of the season.
However, as the number of defensive lapses which left him hopelessly exposed crept up and as a long run without a clean sheet headed past the 20 mark, Garratt began to look less assured, perhaps frustrated with what was happening in front of him, and – as will happen to any goalkeeper – one or two shots went in which he might have expected to do better with.
He was taken out of the firing line for the last six games, manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink nonetheless saying: “Ben is still my number one.” He clocked up 43 appearances in the
season.
As a long run without a clean sheet headed past the 20 mark, Garratt began to look less assured, perhaps frustrated
MATEJ KOVAR
The 21-yearold Czech Republic Under21 international arrived on loan from Manchester United in January and always looked a confident and cheery presence around the squad.
He had to wait for his chance, though, and got it in April as Ben Garratt’s form dipped. Kovar was lucky to see his goal stay intact within one minute of his debut against Plymouth Argyle, when John Brayford cleared Joe Edwards’ header off the line, but he never looked back from that moment, kept the first clean sheet of 2022 and added three more in succession.
On the tall side, he comes off his line well, mostly, and while he got caught out once charging from his area (Tom Hamer’s goalline clearance spared his blushes) he generally judged those moments well.
Perhaps most impressive was his distribution, something that Hasselbaink likes to see in goalkeepers. Kovar can kick it flat and hard over a
distance and he also showed he could spot a team-mate in space quickly when throwing the ball out.
He looks to have a bright future but whether or not the manager will ask about the possibility of a seasonlong loan next time around remains to be seen.
ELLERY BALCOMBE
By contrast to Kovar, Balcombe, on loan from Brentford in the first half of the season, never got a real
look-in.
It is, of course, a goalkeeper’s lot that there is only one place available and if the man in possession is doing OK, as Ben Garratt was, then you can spend a long time on the bench.
Balcombe played in the three Papa John’s Trophy group matches before the Brewers’ customary early exit from the competition but did not really do anything to make a compelling case for ousting Garratt.
He spent the second half of the
season on loan with Bromley in the National League, making 14 appearances and keeping four clean sheets.
CALLUM HAWKINS
This week, Hawkins completed four years as a professional with Burton and has been offered new terms for the 2022-23 season.
The ball, it would seem, is very much in his court. Does he want to continue as an understudy, with a succession of loans to non-league clubs or is it now the time for him to strike out and prove that he can make it in full-time football.
He has yet to make a senior appearance in those four years, although he was on the bench for a number of games between the Ellery Balcombe and Matej Kovar loans this season.
He has impressed in loans with, a while ago, Gresley, several times with Mickleover and, at the end of this season, with Leamington in National League North.
DANIEL MOORE
The young keeper Burton signed initially to their academy from Bedworth Town quickly earned his first professional contract and is well thought of, often taking part in the pre-match warm-ups with the first team.
He went on loan to Belper Town and sustained a nasty injury towards the end of the season, playing on until the end of the game before needing an operation. Clearly, from the social media messages, the Belper players had quickly got to liking him and the future looks bright for him.