Stephen a stunner
KEEPER CLIPS WINGS OF THE HIGH-FLYING ROBINS
BURTON goalkeeper Stephen Bywater rolled back the years to halt promotionchasing Bristol City in their tracks.
The veteran keeper, 36, used all his experience to inspire the struggling Brewers to a surprise point.
City went for the kill right from the off as Lee Johnson’s side looked for the win that would send them into second place in the table.
But Bywater showed that he might well be getting better with age with two smart saves to keep out close-range Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan efforts.
City dominated and it seemed only a matter of time before they put lowly Burton in their place but the hosts had no answer to the Brewers’ rearguard action.
The chances dried up as skipper Jake Buxton and Kyle McFadzean stood firm at the heart of a packed defence and wave after wave of City attacks were snuffed out.
The Robins resorted to trying their luck from long range and when Josh Brownhill sent a 25-yard daisy-cutter goalwards, Bywater again belied his years with a superb fulllength save.
City, beaten just once this season, couldn’t get into their stride.
Sub Jonathan Leko tricked his way into the box and would have broken the deadlock but for former England left-back Stephen Warnock who deflected his shot over.
Reid finally got the better of Bywater but his celebrations were cut short when ref James Linington disallowed the ‘goal’ for a foul.
The more City pushed for a winner, the more space opened up for Burton and sub Marvin Sordell almost celebrated a late winner but saw his goal-bound shot nodded away by Aden Flint.