Hemmings and Mancienne in the frame for Brewers
ROWE ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOOST FOR BOSS JIMMY
BURTON Albion have been handed an injury boost ahead of tonight’s League One game at home to Morecambe (7.45pm).
Striker Kane Hemmings, who came off in the first half last week against Plymouth Argyle with a tight calf, has shaken off the problem and is available.
“Kane came off as a precaution. He said he had a tight calf that could go at any moment, so he came off,” said manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
“But he trained today (Thursday) and he’s ready.”
In addition, defender Michael Mancienne, who has missed seven League games since coming off early in the game against Cheltenham Town in August, and winger Danny Rowe, who has been limited to three substitute appearances so far, are also fit and available, while Terry Taylor returns from Wales Under-23 duty to be come into consideration.
All of that gives Hasselbaink food for thought as he tries to improve the effectiveness of his team at both ends of the pitch.
Burton have won four, drawn four and lost four so far.
“We’ve spoken about the stats this week,” said Hasselbaink.
“We are right up there for chances created, penetration, winning balls in the opposition half, that kind of stuff.
“What we are behind in, well behind in, is our goal ratio to chances. It’s way too low. Also, our pass accuracy has to be higher.
“If we get those higher, you’ll see us creep up the table but the majority of our numbers are there.
“The big one is that chances need to be taken. We need to be more lethal, single-minded and calm. A lot of shots are going over the bar and we need to work the keeper more.
“But we have also only kept three clean sheets in those 12 games and in the past we’ve kept more. We know we are better than that. “We didn’t give easy goals away before and we have given too many easy goals away this season.
“I’m a bit disappointed with four losses. I know you will lose games but with all due respect to Crewe and Cambridge, on paper, I would have expected to get something from them. And I know you don’t win games on paper.
“We didn’t do enough in those matches. Against Lincoln at home, we started with a mistake and they scored.
“So yes, we could and should have had more points but it is what it is. People might have said we weren’t entitled to beat Ipswich and Sunderland, so it evens out a little bit.
“We want to win them all but you’re not going to.
“I didn’t expect us to lose four already – it hurts – but we have and we need to get better.”
The Brewers face old rivals in Morecambe, going back to the two clubs’ Northern Premier League days of the 1970s, and both have
We could have had more points. We want to win them all but we’re not going to. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
grown sustainably to the position they are in now, with the Shrimps setting out on their first campaign in League One.
They have started decently under new manager Stephen Robinson, with four wins, two draws and five losses, while striker Cole Stockton leads the country for League goals so far, with 11.
Unlike Burton, Morecambe go into the game after a weekend off during last week’s international break.
“They’re a good team. Their striker is in good form and they play for him,” said Hasselbaink.
“They’re a team who stick together and work really hard for each other. They are still in the momentum from promotion, feeling good.
“They’re no mugs. You don’t go to Ipswich and get something there or play Sheffield Wednesday and beat them unless you have things in order.
“I hope the weekend off has influenced them, I hope they are out of their rhythm but we will have to see.
“We have to make sure we are right and then it shouldn’t matter what Morecambe’s state of mind is.”