Nigel Clough believes Burton Albion threw "so many points away" as they missed out on their goal of a second successive Championship survival.

Once again, the odds were against the Brewers from the very start of the campaign as they battled in a division of sides boasting budgets vastly in excess of their own.

But Albion did not always help their own cause either.

Britt Assombalonga of Middlesbrough scores the equaliser against Burton Albion
Britt Assombalonga of Middlesbrough scores the equaliser against Burton Albion

Clough's side dropped points from winning or drawing positions after the 80th minute in seven matches, while a host of others saw them slip out of contention in the final half-hour of games, especially on home soil.

The Brewers' bid for safety revolved around two impressive runs of form, around Christmas and in April.

More than half of their 41 points came during those two sequences, between December 16 and January 1, and April 2-29.

But they failed to capitalise elsewhere in the season and were punished with a first relegation in 41 years.

"We just couldn't get points," said Clough when asked about the frustration of not maintaining those runs of form more consistently.

"It's draws. We've thrown so many points away, and we're talking about us going down by two points.

"I can give you so many examples of where we could've got those points over the last 46 games.

"But obviously we didn't get them. That's it - we've wasted too many opportunities."

Burton Albion's relegation was confirmed at Deepdale
Burton Albion's relegation was confirmed at Deepdale

Hope Akpan's 63rd-minute equaliser at Preston momentarily moved the Brewers out of the Championship relegation zone, until Bolton Wanderers' last-gasp comeback.

But Albion ended the season having not been above the bottom three at the end of a matchday since December 26.

That is in stark contrast to their successful survival bid of 2016-17, when they spent only a single week in the bottom three during the entire campaign.

"They (the players) have to understand that we haven't been good enough over 46 games," added Clough, who has been relegated for the first time as a manager.

"It's not today we haven't been good enough. That's the reason you get relegated.

"Forty-one points from those games isn't enough to keep you in the league."