Swindon Town v Burton Burton Albion
TEAM NEWS: BURTON Albion were rocked by the news that joint top scorer Billy Kee is set to be out for the rest of the season ahead of their trip to League Two leaders Swindon Town.
Kee suffered the recurrence of a groin injury in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Cheltenham Town and it is thought the muscle has detached from the bone.
Brewers boss Paul Peschisolido made four changes to his starting line-up from the weekend, with Justin Richards replacing Kee.
The three other changes saw Andy Corbett come in at right-back, with Callum Driver switching to the left in place of Danny Blanchett.
Tony James was recalled in the heart of the defence, with Ryan Austin the man to make way, while the other change saw Cleveland Taylor replace Andres Gurrieri.
Taylor and Chris Palmer were expected to play alongside Richards up front in Peschisolido’s 4-1-2-3 formation.
ROBINS (4-4-2): Foderingham; Caddis (capt), McCormack, Devera, Cibocchi; Ritchie, Ferry, Smith, Rooney; Benson, Connell; subs: Kennedy, Risser, Cox, De Vita, Murray.
BREWERS (4-1-2-3): Atkins; Corbett, James, Stanton, Driver; Dyer; Bolder, McGrath (capt); Taylor, Richards, Palmer; subs: Yussuf, Austin, Phillips, Blanchett, Gurrieri.
HALF-TIME: With both sides intent on passing the ball around early on, it was the hosts who created the first chance on six minutes.
Left winger Luke Rooney swung in a cross and striker Paul Benson’s glancing header flashed just wide of the far post.
Six minutes later, Rooney sent Benson clean through, with the striker having beaten Albion’s offside trap, but centre-back Nathan Stanton produced a superb challenge on the edge of the penalty area to deny him.
The Robins were creating all the chances and they went close again on 16 minutes.
Right-back Paul Caddis threaded a ball through to midfielder Simon Ferry inside the penalty area to the right of goal, but with only goalkeeper Ross Atkins to beat, he fired a shot wide of the far post.
Three minutes later and right winger Matt Ritchie tried his luck from distance with an effort which just cleared Atkins’ crossbar.
The hosts were forced into a change on 29 minutes with Oliver Risser replacing Jonathan Smith, who had picked up a head injury.
The Brewers were doing well to restrict the hosts to long-range efforts and Ferry tried his luck from distance on 33 minutes, but his effort was straight at Atkins.
In stoppage time, Ritchie played a corner short to Caddis, whose vicious drive was well tipped over by Atkins.
SWINDON TOWN 0, BURTON ALBION 0
FULL TIME: The hosts were inches away from taking the lead a minute into the second half when Rooney’s corner from the left was touched on.
The ball looped goalwards and centre-back Nathan Stanton had to head clear from under his own crossbar.
The Robins went close again on 49 minutes when Benson met Ritchie’s far-post cross from the right, but he glanced a header wide when he should have at least hit the target.
A minute later and the hosts made a second change, with Ronan Murray replacing striker Alan Connell.
Ritchie then chested a ball down inside the penalty area to the left of goal, but his volley was straight at Atkins.
The hosts finally broke the deadlock on 54 minutes when left-back Alessandro Cibocchi’s cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Benson for Murray to nod over the line.
That prompted Peschisolido to make a change, with Jimmy Phillips replacing Palmer.
However, it was 2-0 on 58 minutes as Rooney burst to the left by-line and his cross reached the far post, despite the best efforts of Atkins, where Benson was on hand to tap home.
Peschisolido made another change on 63 minutes, with striker Adi Yussuf on for Bolder as the Brewers went 4-4-2.
Albion’s first goal attempt of the game came on 69 minutes when skipper John McGrath’s effort was blocked to Phillips, who volleyed wide.
Less than 60 seconds later it could have been 3-0 as a poor back header by James fell to Murray, but Atkins was alert to block at his feet.
Rooney went close on 75 minutes when he cut in from the left on the edge of the penalty area and drilled a shot just wide of the far post.
Albion’s final change came on 78 minutes, with Gurrieri on for McGrath, who had taken a knock minutes earlier.
SWINDON TOWN 2, BURTON ALBION 0
