Silly errors and silly results are to blame for position
TIME HAS COME TO CUT OUT MISTAKES, SAYS BEN
BURTON Albion have to start acting on their words if they are to stage a push towards the League One playoff places.
That is the view of Ben Turner, who says “silly little mistakes and results” have prevented the Brewers from producing the sort of consistency needed to be in or around the top six at this stage of the season.
Albion’s tally of eight wins, three draws and nine defeats from 20 fixtures underlines the up-and-down nature of their results, even if they have turned in more positive performances than that record might suggest.
Nigel Clough and his players have regularly spoken at their frustrations that the quality of their football has not always been rewarded with points this season.
And while Turner agrees, he knows Burton must consign those assessments to the past, beginning with Saturday’s trip to face fellow mid-table outfit Fleetwood Town.
“We’ve got a good group here, there’s no doubt about that,” said the Albion defender, who returned from a six-week lay-off in last weekend’s 2-1 win at home to Shrewsbury Town.
“The manager knows the team spirit is very good, we do stuff on and off the pitch together and we’re a tight group.
“All the lads feel like we are close to it, where we can put a run together.
“But it’s that silly little mistake here and there, a silly little result where you think ‘how have we not got the right result in that game?’
“You can really count them up this season where that has happened, where we have played well enough to at least get something - and we’ve lost.
“We’ve lost games 2-1 at home where, for whatever reason, we didn’t get the result when all the stats are there and if you came and watched the game you would say we dominated the game.
“It’s nearly Christmas now, at some point you have to start actually doing it and not just saying we were unfortunate.
“The weekend is a great chance to put back-to-back wins on the board and that’s obviously what we’re going to be trying to do.”
If Albion are to claim a positive result at Fleetwood, they may look to capitalise on set-piece situations if Turner is back in the side.
All three of their goals in October’s win at Plymouth Argyle came from free kicks and corners, with Turner’s presence playing a key role in the first two.
He injured his calf midway through that game and Burton have been less effective from dead-ball situations since.
“We’re not the biggest side, we’ve got a lot of tidy footballers who aren’t the biggest in the world,” added the ex-Cardiff City man.
“For me, there’s a big emphasis on being one of our big players with some physicality.
“Hopefully, I’ll help out at both ends with that and, hopefully, that stands me in good stead to get some game time between now and the end of the season.
“That’s something I have to take a lot of responsibility for because we can’t get people to be taller, can we?
“So, being the tall guy, I have to take that responsibility and try to help out at both ends.”