Hamer and Helm Brew up a crucial three points

MARTIN Paterson praised Burton Albion’s character after a victory moved his team three points clear of the League One drop zone.

Mark Helm and Tom Hamer scored either side of the break to beat Stevenage, who were forced to play with ten men for 30 minutes after Dan Butler lashed out at Helm.

Kane Hemmings scored with two minutes left to play, but ultimately the Brewers managed to put an end to their ten-game winless run and gain a slight advantage over 21stplaced Port Vale.

Burton manager Paterson said: “I am so pleased with the effort. It took humility and hard work and when the chances came from the back of that frame work the freedom came.

“We have got character and we have been pushing really hard for a performance like that. We have been through a bit of a dip and we always knew we had the character to get out of that.

“There have been so many opportunities and heartbreaks along in terms of games, but, most importantly, we put a small marker down.

“As a group we have been working on a lot of things to promote things in terms of confidence and awareness of taking a little bit more time.

“But that is what happens when you are in there are you are fighting every week for status.”

Boro dominated the first-half possession, but

Helm scored with the game’s first shot on target when he diverted Sam Hughes flick-on past Craig MacGillivray in firsthalf stoppage time.

And Helm was to cause more damage to Stevenage after the break when a tussle with Butler ended with the Boro defender lashing out and seeing red.

Hamer made sure Burton took advantage of the extra man lashing in Hughes’ pass.

Stevenage were much improved in the second half, but couldn’t find a way past Max Crocombe until the 88th minute when Hemmings converted Jamie Reid’s cross.

Stevenage have now seen any chance of promotion almost slip from their grasp as they sit six points away from the playoff spots. Steve Evans said: “It has been an incredible effort and we have come up a bit short, but we will go to Oxford and be competitive.

“We are asking a lot of the players and there hasn’t been a game since I have been here that has not had something resting on it. We have gone to the well but found it a bit dry.”