Burton Albion FC 2 : 0 Tranmere Rovers - Brewers cruise to routine win

Burton consolidated their place among the League Two frontrunners with a comfortable 2-0 win over Tranmere.

The Brewers started the game on the front foot and Rovers were always up against it after having wing-back Liam Ridehalgh sent off after only 23 minutes.

That was also the incident which led to Burton taking the lead. Ridehalgh hauled down Kelvin Maynard inside the box as he raced on to a cute pass from Matty Palmer. Damien McCrory fired the resulting penalty low to goalkeeper Owen Fon Williams' left.

By then Burton had already lost winger Alex MacDonald to what looked to be a serious knee injury after a collision with the advertising boards.

The hosts doubled their lead after 38 minutes when Palmer's mis-hit corner from the right bounced through the box and somehow reached Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, who stooped to head the ball in from six yards.

He did not reach half-time either, limping off with a strain after a headed clearance in first-half stoppage time.

The second half continued in similar vein, with Tranmere, despite their recent improvement under Micky Adams, hardly creating a threat going forward.