Burton Albion forward Lucas Akins is looking forward to taking on the likes of Middlesbrough and Hull City next week, but isn't content with simply making up the numbers when the Brewers visit the newly-relegated duo.

Albion have been handed a tough start to their second season as Championship side, with trips to the former Premier League sides coming after a visit to Oldham Athletic in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Albion then round off the month of August with back-to-back home games against Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday, another pair of top-tier sides.

But Akins, who found himself deployed as a lone forward in Saturday's 1-0 opening-day defeat to Cardiff City, wants the Brewers to get off the mark as soon as possible this season.

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

Kenneth Zohore's 87th-minute effort was all that could separate the two sides in a game that saw Akins busy as the lone striker, bringing the likes of Lloyd Dyer and Jackson Irvine into the game.

The early stages of a campaign can lure players and fans into a false sense of security - and if teams don't start getting points on the board now, they could rue a spell of poor early-season form come May.

And Akins isn't of the opinion that there is plenty of time to worry about another possible relegation scrap, insisting that every point counts - even on the opening day.

"It may seem like that, but last season we stayed up by a point," said Akins.

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

"No game can be taken for granted, even at this stage of the season.

"You realise that in any league that is obviously the case, so it (the Cardiff defeat) definitely feels like an opportunity missed.

"It's definitely our aim to get points on the board sooner rather than later and not be saying 'oh we've got 40 games or however many (to get those points)'.

"It's obviously better to try and get a run going as soon as possible and I'm sure we'll do that."

Never without a sense of humour, Akins embodies that team spirit forged through multiple promotions and last season's spellbinding relegation survival.

But as the former Stevenage man jokes about easy games against the likes of Hull and Boro, the Albion squad can head to the KCOM and Riverside Stadiums knowing that they are capable of defeating these teams.

Just ask any Brewers fan who made the trip to Huddersfield in April, where Burton stunned the eventually-promoted Terriers with a 1-0 injury time winner.

"We've got a couple of 'easy' games against Hull and then Middlesbrough," Akins added with a smile.

"The league's extremely difficult but we'll do the best we can.

Jackson Irvine bagged the winner against eventually-promoted Huddersfield Town
Jackson Irvine bagged the winner against eventually-promoted Huddersfield Town

"I'll obviously look forward to those games as a footballer, playing against ex-Premier League teams and players, but you don't just want to be going there to make up the numbers.

"You really want to be going there to get something, so we'll be even more hungry now after today's disappointment to go out there and - starting off with Oldham which is always a tough place to go - trying to get a winning feeling as soon as possible.

"And then hopefully we can take that into the next couple of league games which are going to be extremely difficult on their home patches and early on in the season.

"There's never an easy time to go there and we'll try and get what we can and a positive result."