Nigel Clough happy to see Burton win a game late on

Posted Sunday, January 12, 2020 by PA

Burton boss Nigel Clough was satisfied to see his side make it four wins from five league games with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Fleetwood.

Ryan Edwards headed home the winner in the 89th-minute after the Brewers had looked set to be frustrated by Joey Barton’s well-drilled outfit.

“We deserved it” said Clough, “No doubt about that. Its one of the first times this season we have got our rewards as late on in a game.

“Usually we have conceded late goals so it is nice to have the feeling going our way for a change. I thought it was a brilliant performance from start to finish.”

Albion had been knocking on the door of the Town defence for long periods and finally got their rewards and Clough was happy to see his team’s dogged pursuit of a winner pay off courtesy of the Australian midfielder’s sixth goal of the season.

“Perseverance was the key and we kept on doing the right things” he said.

“Ryan Edwards keeps making those runs into the six-yard box and a brilliant cross goes in from Liam Boyce.

“How we hadn’t scored before that point I am not sure. The amount of balls we had in and around the penalty area and going across the face of goal.

“When you are at nil-nil and going for a winner rather than chasing the game, that is the difference. That is when you get the winner and I didn’t think we looked like conceding in the second half.

“We had so many crosses going in and credit to them they dealt with it. We pinned back a very good team in Fleetwood and restricted them to just one or two opportunities.”

For Fleetwood boss Barton it was a case of reflecting on a run that has now seen his side win just one of their last seven league games and saw them “throw away a point”.

Barton said: “We were not fantastic in the first half and we rode our luck a bit at times and had to defend our box properly but then still had probably the best two chances of the half.

“Wes Burns goes through twice and doesn’t manage to work the keeper. In those tight type of game you always know that the first goal is going to be decisive. To get done late on by a throw in that is crossed into the box is really, really disappointing.

“I said to the lads that we have basically thrown a point away because there wasn’t much happening at that stage of the game and we should be closing the game out maybe trying to win it but certainly not losing it.”