TEAM NEWS: JIMMY Phillips was handed his first league start of the season for the visit of crisis club Plymouth Argyle.
Phillips retained his place in the starting line-up after playing a starring role in the Brewers’ 2-1 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at the hands of League One Sheffield United in midweek.
He kept Chris Palmer out of the side, but otherwise manager Paul Peschisolido reverted to the team which lost 2-1 at Accrington Stanley the previous week.
Centre-back Tony James, left-back Aaron Webster and midfielder Adam Bolder all returned to the line-up at the expense of Darren Moore, Danny Blanchett and Jack Dyer respectively.
Striker Billy Kee is still away on international duty, while Albion remained without injured players Nathan Stanton, Tom Parkes, Paul Boertien, Greg Pearson and Cleveland Taylor.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Corbett, James, Austin, Webster; Maghoma, Bolder, McGrath (capt), Phillips; Zola, Richards; subs: Poole (gk), Moore, Palmer, Yussuf, Blanchett.
PILGRIMS (4-5-1): Cole; Berry, King, Nelson, Williams; Daley, Fletcher (capt), Walton, Soukouna, Atkinson; Hitchcock; subs: Larrieu (gk), Young, Gibson, Griffiths, Lecointe.
HALF-TIME: After a cagey opening, it was the hosts who carved out the first chance.
Phillips burst down the left, cut back and sent in a low cross to the near post.
Striker Calvin Zola managed to get the slightest of touches to it but could only direct the ball straight at Argyle keeper Jake Cole.
Almost immediately at the other end, midfielder Carl Fletcher drilled a long-range shot at Brewers keeper Ross Atkins.
Phillips himself went close on 11 minutes, playing a one-two with fellow winger Jacques Maghoma before firing in a low shot which Cole just managed to turn round the post.
Albion were dominating possession and they created another chance on 24 minutes.
Skipper John McGrath swung over a corner from the right to the far post but centre-back Ryan Austin glanced his header wide of the post.
The hosts almost took the lead on 38 minutes when Adam Bolder took a free-kick from his own half to the far post.
Austin headed it across goal and Zola flicked it towards the corner of the net only to see Cole somehow claw the effort away at the last second.
The visitors were still dangerous and had a great chance of their own to go in front on 43 minutes.
Midfielder Ladjie Soukouna lofted a pass into the box to striker Luke Daley, but he volleyed wide of the near post from 10 yards.
However, the hosts went in front in stoppage time, with striker Justin Richards turning inside the box and volleying into the corner of the net.
BURTON ALBION 1, PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
FULL TIME: Albion doubled their advantage 12 minutes into the second half when left-back Aaron Webster sent in a long throw.
Cole completely missed his punch and the ball dropped to Zola, who turned and fired home.
However, Argyle almost pulled one back immediately, with right winger Durrell Berry rifling in a shot which crashed against the underside of the crossbar and out to safety.
It was almost 3-0 on 67 minutes when Zola picked up the ball in the left channel.
He teased Argyle centre-back Simon Walton, cutting inside before curling a shot towards the far top corner which rebounded off the crossbar.
Peschisolido made two changes in quick succession, with Chris Palmer replacing Maghoma and Adi Yussuf going on for Richards.
The Brewers were almost caught out three minutes from time when left-back Robbie Williams played a quick free-kick 25 yards out through to Daley, who was clean through on goal, but Atkins was alert and grabbed the ball at the striker’s feet.
The Pilgrims did pull one back in stoppage time, with Soukouna bursting into the box and getting to the by-line before cutting the ball back for midfielder Will Atkinson to poke home.
BURTON ALBION 2, PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1
