Nigel Clough hails hat-trick hero Scott Fraser after Burton’s win at Oxford
Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by PA
Burton boss Nigel Clough saluted Scottish midfielder Scott Fraser after his second-half hat-trick destroyed Oxford at the Kassam Stadium.
The U’s led 2-1 early in the second half before Fraser fired home goals in the 61st, 70th and 84th minutes for his first senior treble.
With former Dundee United ace Fraser clutching the match ball behind him, Clough said: “Not many people score hat-tricks away from home, and especially from midfield as he has done.
“They were three great strikes as well.
“The second one took a deflection but it might have been going in anyway.
“His third one was wonderful. It was an absolutely magnificent finish.
“I think last season was a big learning curve for Scott, to play so many games as he did coming down from Scotland.
“I think he’s in a better place now this season.”
Clough felt, though, that Liam Boyce deserved a share of the plaudits after his outstanding performance in Albion’s third successive away win in all competitions.
“Oxford have some very good attacking players and Matty Taylor will score goals for them.
“But we deserved our victory and are playing with much more maturity now than we were a year ago.
“I think Liam deserves a slice of the match ball. He worked his socks off.
“It was tight in the first half, but we played football the way I want us to play in the second half.”
Skipper Jake Buxton put Burton ahead on the half-hour mark with a header from Nathan Broadhead’s corner, before Oxford turned the game on its head.
The U’s struck twice in 10 minutes at the start of the second half through Cameron Brannagan and Anthony Forde – before Fraser took centre stage.
Oxford manager Karl Robinson blamed himself for the home side’s defeat.
Robinson said: “I take responsibility for it – I made a double substitution far too early.
“We became open and disjointed because of my substitutions, and it was silly.
“Some of the players’ performances were also below what we would expect, and there will be changes for our next match as a result.
“But I can’t come out and say anything negative about individual players after what I did.
“It became a basketball match after the substitutions I made.
“I’m frustrated with myself.
“How Cameron Brannagan ended up on the losing side after his performance, I really don’t know.
“Overall we didn’t play that well, and we lacked a bit of fluidity through some of the changes and new players coming in.”
Oxford’s new striker Matty Taylor showed his quality, but he only had one clear opportunity – and keeper Kieran O’Hara saved well from him.
Robinson said: “You can see Matty Taylor makes us grow as a team, and you can see he will score goals for us.”
Scott Fraser said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling to have scored my first senior hat-trick.
“Probably the last of the goals was the best one, I thought.
“The match ball is going to my mum!”
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