Marcus in groove but chips down for Dale
THE incentive of fish and chips on the journey home from Rochdale inspired Burton’s players to victory at the Crown Oil Arena, according to assistant manager Andy Garner.
Marcus Myers-Harness fired a brilliant hat-trick and set one up for Liam Boyce as the Brewers climbed to ninth in League One, their highest position so far.
“We were fantastic, absolutely brilliant. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve promised them fish and chips on the way home for the first time in a long while, perhaps that inspired them!” said Garner, who hailed the performance of treble hero Myers-Harness.
“We’re all delighted for Marcus, he’s a great lad who always tries and works his socks off,” said Garner. “It’s a brilliant result. It took a bit to get over the disappointment of relegation last season, but we know we’re a good side and if we perform like that we can beat most of the teams in this league.”
Myers-Harness showed good instinct to score the opener at close range after a flick on from a corner at close range in the 19th minute before slamming home a fine finish on the half hour from just inside the Dale penalty area.
The home side, booed off at the break, improved after the interval and had the ball in the Burton net, only for MJ Willams’ effort to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up.
Payne put the game beyond Dale in the 78th minute after being fed by Myers-Harness, who went on to complete his hat-trick in the 86th minute with a left-footed drive from the edge of the area.
Dale have lost their last three games, conceding 13 and scoring none and boss Keith Hill, who clashed with the club’s supporters at half-time, said the day was his toughest as manager of the club.
“I was trying to give some encouragement to the players, having been a player myself and knowing what it’s like – you can’t see the next pass, you are trying but it’s misguided,” he said. “You start doing things you shouldn’t do which leads to more problems and I just wanted to support them the best I can.
“I wanted the players to be applauded, I wanted the players to be supported and it’s the hardest thing to do in the darkest hour. But they needed that support and that’s why I reacted.”