Burton Albion forward Lucas Akins believes the Brewers needed to capitalise on their first-half chances against Cardiff City on Saturday - but has urged his Albion team-mates to bounce back and go again.

The Brewers lost their first match of the season 1-0 to Cardiff City at the Pirelli Stadium - with only an 87th-minute Kenneth Zohore strike able to separate to evenly-matched sides.

Zohore lashed his late effort from the edge of the box past Stephen Bywater and sent the Cardiff fans behind the Albion 'keeper into raptures - and left Burton fans despairing at what might have been.

The Brewers will be glad to see the back of Cardiff - with late winners for the Welsh side coming in the last two matches against the Brewers - but had their own opportunities to put their visitors to the sword.

Lucas Akins in action for Burton Albion
Lucas Akins in action for Burton Albion

Albion had plenty of chances in the first-half to silence a vocal travelling Cardiff support, with Jackson Irvine the first to go close, running onto Marvin Sordell's through ball but ultimately shooting high over the bar.

As was the theme against Leicester last week, that move began with Akins' back to goal, spreading play out to the wing and Irvine with his familiar charging run from midfield.

But that was merely a half-chance, and the one that followed on the 43rd minute was well and truly guilt-edge.

It all began with Akins at the heart of the move once again, and showed why Albion boss Nigel Clough was right to trust him up-front in the absence of long-term casualty Liam Boyce.

A neat give-and-go with Lloyd Dyer down the left-wing saw Dyer race through past the desperate Cardiff centre-back Bruno and into the box, spotting Marvin Sordell's checked run with the striker looking certain to score.

As it is, Sordell fluffed his lines and the Brewers went into half-time believing they should be 1-0 up. Akins, though, is determined to see the positive side in defeat - and believes that the fact that the Brewers are creating those chances shows they can mix it once again.

But there can be no denying that Albion should have capitalised on those chances - and the former Stevenage man has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates who may be pondering what might have been had Albion put those chances away and held out to the death.

"(It's the) first game of the season at home in front of your fans you want to get off to a positive result," said Akins post-match.

Celebrations after Kenneth Zohore's late goal against Burton Albion wins it for Cardiff City
Celebrations after Kenneth Zohore's late goal against Burton Albion wins it for Cardiff City

"Especially to lose it near the end is very disappointing.

"I thought we started off really well, the first half we probably had the better of the game and the chances.

"It's times like that where you need to capitalise on your chances and try and get a goal when you're on top.

"The second half, the games a little bit different - they pushed bodies forward and went a little but more direct and (it's) obviously a moment of quality in the game, a great goal by their lad.

"One that we'll try and work on to stop happening again, but it's very disappointing

"We’ve got a disappointed changing room in there currently, but games come thick and fast, we can't feel sorry for ourselves.

"We know this league can be unforgiving so we've got to dust ourselves off and go again now."