DEFENSIVE errors and missed chances proved costly for Burton as they stayed rooted to the foot of the Midlands Premier Division table.
Their one consolation was that their fellow strugglers also lost, leaving them to slug it out in a mini-league battle for survival.
The latest round of matches brought the experienced West Bridgford to Shobnall as the red and greens looked to plot their great escape.
Burton were boosted by Ash Wheldon passing a late fitness test and the squad of 14 were upbeat going into the game.
With training lost to the freezing weather at the start of the week, the squad had a whiteboard session, some indoor hockey and a frank and open discussion in an attempt to reverse the fortunes.
One of the tactical changes made saw Burton going with four at the back as they looked to stop the leaking of early goals.
It worked as the game was scoreless for 18 minutes, but then a mistake by Jamie Cooper was slickly punished as West Bridgford countered at pace.
As seems to be the case in this division, errors proved costly, but Burton stuck to their task and had chances at the other end as Bridgford looked shaky in defence.
However, from one such attack, Mark Northcott was robbed of possession and a sweeping move saw Martin Jarvis left exposed as Bridgford made it 2-0.
Burton then enjoyed their best spell of play and were rewarded as the ever-lively Paul Cleaver burst from midfield and unselfishly squared for Northcott to power home and get the hosts back in the game.
Burton were buoyant at half-time and saw a real chance of points in the offering.
The pressing and work-rate from midfield had Bridgford rattled and, usually the enforcers, the Nottingham-based side were rattled by Burton’s desire.
However, the game cruelly hit the home side again as Bridgford converted a slick penalty corner routine, but Burton responded and Wheldon forced a defender into an error and finished well to really give everyone watching a lift.
With the home side pressing, Bridgford called on all their experience and won a penalty corner, which they converted to leave Burton needing two goals in the last eight minutes.
As ever with this team, they went all out and really put Bridgford under pressure but just could not finish off their moves.
Burton travel to former National League outfit Stourport on Saturday.
BURTON 2NDS travelled to West Bridgford on Saturday knowing an excellent performance was required to get anything from the game as the hosts sat second in the table.
Burton did play to the best of their ability but, on the day, were beaten 5-0 by a better side.
The first half was relatively even, with both sides enjoying an equal share of possession, but the difference was that Bridgford were able to convert their short corner routines.
They found the target midway through the half and again in injury time to give them a 2-0 lead at the break.
The second half started in similar fashion, with possession shared, but Burton were unable to convert that into goals.
Bridgford converted a third corner and as Burton began to commit men forward to try and find a way back into the contest, they got caught lacking numbers at the back on two occasions.
The opposition passed the ball around keeper Russ Davenport.
Burton felt the final scoreline flattered West Bridgford as two of their goals had an element of fortune about them, with large deflections giving the home side’s keeper no chance.
Bridgford’s keeper made two excellent saves to keep Burton off the scoresheet.
IN A top-of-the-table clash, it was ultimately experience that prevailed over youthful energy, resulting in Burton 6ths going clear at the top of Midlands North East Division Two.
In the first 10 minutes of the match, however, it was Burton’s 7th team who dominated possession and kept their opponents penned into the own 25-yard area, creating numerous opportunities which they failed to convert.
However, once a quick break by the 6ths had resulted in a goal, the enthusiasm and fluent passing hockey seemed to desert the 7ths, who struggled to sustain any further periods of pressure on their opponents’ goal.
Once a second goal had been conceded, the 7ths managed to get one back just before the break, with Jamie Jenkins skilfully dribbling his way past the last line of defence before coolly wrong-footing the goalkeeper and passing into an empty net.
Trailing 2-1 at half-time, the 7ths were still in the contest and despite trying to get their passing game going again in the second half, further breakaway goals from the veteran forwards showed the youngsters that age still counts for a lot at this level.
With the score at 5-1, a final goal finished off any resistance as the 6ths ran out comfortable 6-1 winners.
