Garner celebrates 53rd birthday with Burton victory against Coventry

Posted Saturday, March 09, 2019 by PA

Burton first-team coach Andy Garner admitted it was the perfect birthday present as the Brewers continued their impressive 2019 away record with a 2-1 win over Coventry.

Goals in either half from Lucas Akins and Jamie Allen were enough to stave off 10-man Coventry and give Garner something to smile about on his 53rd birthday.

Garner said: “Fantastic win. I’ve been thinking about it all day to be quite honest with you. Just had a little prayer today to hopefully get the three points. We’d probably have settled for a point but to get three is a fantastic performance.

“I think in the end, I know they had a man sent off but I think that we deserved it.

“The only disappointment was the first 15 minutes. We weren’t particularly good in the first 15 minutes. We didn’t adapt to the pitch very well, we didn’t do the right things and then obviously they had a bit of pressure but we soaked it up and got back into the game.

“Then actually we had a good 15 to 20-minute spell in the middle of the first half and we actually got it down and started playing. I thought then that we were good value.”

Akins notched in his sixth league goal of the season to give Burton the advantage after 19 minutes, and Garner insisted it is the easier goals that make a big difference.

Garner said: “Well I say it to (Liam) Boycey and I say it to anyone who is up front being a forward myself, and I’ve said to Lucas (Akins) just before he goes out, you have to get into the six-yard box.

“I’ve said before that the best goals in the world are tap-ins. I’ll take them all day.”

Coventry manager Mark Robins provided an honest reflection as he saw his side’s five-game unbeaten streak grind to a halt.

He said: “We started off really brightly in the opening exchanges, however, we were a bit negative and did spend too much time on the ball.

“As soon as they started to get a foothold in the game we conceded a poor goal.”

Tom Bayliss equalised for the Sky Blues six minutes into the second half and Luke Thomas saw his effort hit the post seconds later.

Coventry were not helped when Bright Enobakhare was sent off with 55 minutes gone.

Robins added: “We worked our way back into the game with a great goal. We found Tom [Bayliss] in space and he struck the ball really well, which is what I’ve been trying to get him to do.

“Tom has those goals in him and from now on he needs to continue to get into those positions and be positive in front of goal.

“We could’ve even gone two up through Luke (Thomas), but unfortunately for us, it hit the inside of the post and came out.

“Then, we gave away a horrendous goal, but it was still a good strike to finish it off.”