Burton off the mark as Lloyd Dyer returns to haunt Birmingham

Posted Saturday, August 19, 2017 by PA

Former Birmingham loanee Lloyd Dyer scored a second-half winner for Burton as they emerged 2-1 victors against the Blues at the Pirelli Stadium.

Dyer latched onto a superb back-heel pass from Lucas Akins to calmly convert past David Stockdale after 66 minutes and complete an impressive turnaround for Nigel Clough's men, who had gone in at half-time behind.

Former Burton winger Jacques Maghoma returned to haunt his former team with the opening goal but Marvin Sordell's equaliser five minutes into the second half gave Albion hope to secure their first Sky Bet Championship win of the season.

Maghoma, the former Tottenham trainee, was in the right place inside the six-yard box to bury a simple chance from close range after 29 minutes as Lukas Jutkiewicz headed Clayton Donaldson's cross into his path.

Sordell's superb strike from the edge of the box, after spinning adeptly to lose his marker, was no more than Albion deserved after a marauding start to the second half had seen midfielder Matty Palmer twice go close in the moments before the equaliser.

In a first half of few real chances Birmingham just edged proceedings, although Burton could consider themselves slightly unfortunate to be behind at the break.

Albion skipper Jake Buxton forced Birmingham keeper Stockdale into an early save from the first corner of the game and Stockdale spread himself well to deny Sordell at close quarters after Matty Lund had been closed down before he could shoot.

Birmingham's best chances in the first period fell to Jutkiewicz, the big striker heading straight at Stephen Bywater before flicking a Craig Gardner cross just wide and forcing a low save from Albion's experienced keeper.

After the break it was Albion with the wind in their sails and the goals they scored were fully deserved. Besides the two goals, Tom Naylor almost found the net by stealing in at the back post to fire Jackson Irvine's cross over the bar.

Birmingham had their chances in the second period too, Jutkiewicz heading straight at Bywater before Donaldson clipped the post with an overhead kick.

Midfielder Cheikh N'Doye twice went close as well, heading over and then forcing Bywater into an excellent save at full stretch.

Isaac Vassell, City's new signing from Luton, added plenty of pace to the visitors' attacking threat after replacing Jutkiewicz but Albion defended manfully to see the game out.