Burton Albion v AFC Wimbledon
TEAM NEWS: Brewers boss Paul Peschisolido made two changes for the visit of League Two new boys AFC Wimbledon following the previous week’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Hereford United.
One of those changes was enforced, with Chris Palmer replacing suspended captain John McGrath, while Kevin Amankwaah returned to the starting line-up in place of Andy Corbett.
Argentinian winger Andres Gurrieri, who has been knocking on the door of a first start, once again had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench.
There was also a return to the squad for midfielder Jack Dyer.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Amankwaah, James, Stanton (capt), Webster; Taylor, Bolder, Palmer, Maghoma; Zola, Kee; subs: Poole (gk), Corbett, Phillips, Gurrieri, Dyer.
DONS (4-1-3-2): Brown; Hatton, Stuart (capt), Johnson, Bush; S Moore; L Moore, Wellard, Yussuf; Ademeno, Midson; subs: Jackson, Minshull, Turner, McNaughton, Mulley.
HALF-TIME: The Brewers had to endure a lot of early pressure by the visitors, but it was they who broke the deadlock in the 14th minute.
Jacques Maghoma did well to keep the ball in near the left corner flag and lay it back to left-back Aaron Webster.
He crossed into the centre, where Billy Kee got in before striker partner Calvin Zola, controlled, took the ball out of his feet and fired in a left-foot shot on the turn into the far corner for his 10th goal of the season.
The goal clearly lifted the Brewers, who were now dominating possession.
They went close again on 28 minutes when Palmer whipped in a corner from the left and Adam Bolder’s header at the near post was tipped over the bar by visiting keeper Seb Brown.
However, Brown was beaten a minute later.
Amankwaah’s long ball forward was left by central defender Brett Johnson, putting his keeper in trouble.
Brown raced out but lost the ball in a challenge with Kee, who picked it up and fired a shot into the far corner of the empty net from 15 yards out to the right of goal.
Kee could have been celebrating his hat-trick 10 minutes before half-time but, after great work by Zola had set him up, he saw his effort from just inside the penalty area blocked by a defender having created space for himself.
However, the visitors pulled a goal back in the final minute of the half.
Striker Jack Midson had an effort blocked, but the ball dropped to midfielder Luke Moore, who drilled a right-foot shot into the far corner.
BURTON ALBION 2, AFC WIMBLEDON 1
FULL TIME: Peschisolido made a change at half-time, wit Corbett on for Amankwaah, who had been involved in a clash of heads with team-mate Cleveland Taylor in the first half.
The visitors could have been on level terms in the first minute following a good run by midfielder Ricky Wellard.
He slipped the ball left to Midson 15 yards out and wide of goal, but he blasted a shot into the side netting.
Immediately at the other end, Maghoma created a chance for himself central on the edge of the box and his swerving shot had to be punched away by Brown.
Webster was close to scoring his 100th goal for the club in the 49th minute when he touched a free-kick to Maghoma, who stopped the ball for the left-back to curl a shot just wide of the near post.
The hosts went close twice in quick succession on 56 minutes.
After a long throw-in had been cleared, Webster played the ball to Kee with his back to goal on the edge of the area.
He laid the ball back for Bolder, whose drive was turned away by Brown.
Taylor picked the ball up to the right of goal and crossed low for Zola, whose flick at the near post was somehow turned around the post by the Wimbledon keeper.
The hosts went close again on the hour when Maghoma crossed to the far post and Zola’s shot back across goal was stopped on the line by Brown.
It was 3-1 two minutes later.
Launching a swift break, Kee swept the ball out to Taylor on the right.
He crossed to Maghoma, whose shot was blocked, but the ball fell for Bolder to rifle into the top corner.
Kee was close again to a hat-trick goal on 66 minutes when fed by Taylor in the box on the right.
He went round a defender but fired his shot into the side netting.
The visitors were not done however, and midfielder Sammy Moore warmed Brewers keeper Ross Atkins’ hands on 73 minutes with a 20-yard drive which was beaten away.
Zola had two shots blocked by defenders in quick succession before Peschisolido sent on Gurrieri for Taylor.
Webster did get his name on the scoresheet, but unfortunately at the wrong end of the pitch with eight minutes to go.
After Wellard’s cross from the right had been half-cleared, midfielder Sam Hatton sent in a wicked low cross which the left-back could only turn into his own net.
The Brewers responded when Kee sent Zola clear but he saw his shot saved by the keeper with Kee in acres of space to his right.
The Brewers were forced into a third change, with the injured Bolder replaced by Jimmy Phillips.
With four minutes of stoppage time on the watch, the visitors were screaming for a penalty when Webster went in on substitute James Mulley, but the referee waved play on.
BURTON ALBION 3, AFC WIMBLEDON 2
