PAUL Peschisolido found the perfect cure for Burton Albionʼs goal drought at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday — by playing only one striker.
The Brewers boss abandoned his tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation by leaving Shaun Harrad as the lone front man, with Russell Penn operating just behind in a free role.
And the switch in formation worked a treat as the Brewers conjured up a three-goal salvo to gun down in-form Hereford United in a thrilling second-half.
Harrad scored twice, once from the penalty spot, and for good measure full-back Aaron Webster crowned a dramatic exchange of blows with the Bulls by grabbing an 87th minute set-piece goal the Burton boss has been yearning to secure a fifth home league win of the campaign.
It was a victory as hairy as the weather on a day when wind and rain lashed the Pirelli.
Albion twice lost the lead and might have done so for a third time in a pulsating climax.
But, for Peschisolido, the ends justified the means as Penn played a big part in unlocking the visitors’ defence in the role in which he built his reputation and gave the Brewers many a headache in his Kidderminster Harriers days.
With Jimmy Phillips and new signing Kieron Cadogan working the flanks, it was an ambitious change of direction that came up trumps for Peschisolido.
Albion unveiled Cadogan after completing the one-month loan signing of the Crystal Palace youngster on Friday night.
He replaced Jacques Maghoma, while Richard Walker also dropped to the bench to make way for Penn.
Cadogan was immediately involved after an excellent break from the halfway line by Penn, but the newcomer’s shot from the edge of the area flew straight at Bulls goalkeeper Adam Bartlett.
Penn, rising to impressively to the challenge, was as bright as a button as Albion continued to move the ball around at a decent tempo.
But with the visitors unhesitating in getting players behind the ball whenever danger threatened, Cadogan’s effort was all Albion had to show for their early endeavour.
After a scrappy spell, the pacy 19-year-old brought the game back to life in the 18th minute after a booming header over the top of the Hereford defence by Webster, but Bartlett was down smartly save the winger’s 20-yard shot at his near post.
Albion continued to dominate the possession and a neat lay-off by Penn created a opening for Harrad, only for the striker to drag his shot well off target from the edge of the area.
The Bulls showed no real inclination to break free of their defensive shackles and Penn was unlucky to have a 15-yard shot blocked in the 32nd minute after being found by a low cross from Phillips.
After all this pushing and probing by Albion, it was Hereford who went near to breaking the stalemate in a sudden and unheralded flurry of pressure.
Gavin McCallum had a header blocked at the far post and was then denied by the fingertips of Artur Krysiak after retrieving the loose ball.
Albion were suddenly back on their heels and it took a terrific tackle by Webster to deny McCallum 10 yards out after the speedy striker had pounced on a stray pass by Ryan Austin.
Leon Constantine drove a low shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area, but Albion came back from their first rocky spell of the game to go close in the 41st minute.
Cadogan and Harrad combined well to work the opening, but the sprawling Bartlett saved at the feet of Michael Simpson inside his sixyard box.
Most of Albion’s limited problems had so far been self inflicted and the theme continued into the second half with Guy Branston’s loose pass inviting a Hereford break that ended with Craig King shooting at Krysiak from the edge of the area.
But it was poor defending by Hereford that proved costlier as Albion took the lead in the 50th minute.
The Bulls marking was non-existent as Austin launched the ball forward and Harrad was even allowed three attempts to bring the ball under control before lashing home a 15- yard shot for his fifth goal of the season.
Albion quickly surged forward in search of a second goal with Penn at the helm, but Cadogan’s tempting cross was turned away for a corner by Darren Jones to deny the lunging Harrad.
It took Hereford only 11 minutes to claw their way back to level terms and considerably less time for Albion to recapture the lead in a burst of excitement.
Predictably, the lively McCallum was the architect of Hereford’s equaliser, cleverly tricking his way past Branston before crossing from the byline for Constantine to bury a diving header.
But, in keeping with the onset of the pantomime season, the Hereford hero quickly became the villain when he handled Webster’s header, giving Harrad to chance to beat Bartlett comprehensively from the penalty spot.
Keith Gilroy entered the fray to warm applause in the 69th minute but the Irishman had little opportunity to shine on his League debut for the Brewers after months of injury problems.
An eventful afternoon for Constantine continued when he put Hereford back on level terms for the second time in the 76th minute.
Albion were caught leaden-footed as Kenny Lunt’s cross from the right was steered back into the six-yard box by Ryan Valentine for the big striker to score with a simple header.
The Brewers might have crumbled as the Bulls scented victory, but they came back strong and were rewarded three minutes from the end when Webster rose majestically to meet John McGrath’s free kick with a glancing header into the top corner.
It had been a pulsating second half that could have reached a less profitable conclusion for the Brewers, but Richard Rose contrived to squander the chance of a third equaliser for the visitors when he missed a close-range header in stoppage time.