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Burton Albion vs Birmingham City. Sky Bet Championship.

Pirelli StadiumAttendance5,818.

Burton Albion 2

  • L Dyer (32nd minute)
  • J Ward (62nd minute)

Birmingham City 0

    Burton 2-0 Birmingham: Albion ease to three points

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    Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Burton and Birmingham

    Lloyd Dyer and Jamie Ward struck for Burton as they beat Birmingham 2-0 in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday night.

    The Albion duo struck either side of the break as Nigel Clough's side earned a deserved three points at the Pirelli Stadium.

    It's a result that lifts Burton up to 13th in the Championship table after just a second win in eight games, while Garry Rowett's side stay fifth.

    Birmingham dominated the early stages at the Pirelli Stadium but the home side grew into the game as the half dragged on and created three great opportunities before taking the lead.

    BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Jacques Maghoma of Birmingham City and Tom Naylor of Burton Albion in action during the Sky Bet Championship match
    Image: Jacques Maghoma of Birmingham City and Tom Naylor of Burton Albion in action

    First, Dyer powered down the left after 18 minutes before teeing up Ward on the edge of the area, only for the forward to fire wide of the goal. And two minutes later the Burton winger set up Ward again, only for him to miss the target a second time.

    Ward then turned creator after 26 minutes as his header reached Jackson Irvine in behind the Birmingham defence, only for his shot to be well kept out by the onrushing Adam Legzdins.

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    Six minutes later, though, Burton did find the opener through that combination of Dyer and Ward. The latter brushed off a couple of challenges before slipping a fine ball through Birmingham's defence into the path of his team-mate, who deftly dinked the ball home at the first time of asking with the outside of his left foot.

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    Burton continued to press and Chris O'Grady had a great chance to double their lead in the 37th minute after the ball fell into his path 10 yards out, but he could only head straight at Legzdins, before the goalkeeper pulled off a fine save low to his left to keep out Ward on the stroke of half-time.

    BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: Gary Rowett, manager of Birmingham City looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Burton Albion and B
    Image: Birmingham boss Gary Rowett

    Birmingham improved in the second half but it was still Burton creating all the best chances, and Lucas Akins missed an absolute sitter four minutes after the break before they finally doubled their lead on 62 minutes.

    A long header from John Brayford found Ward rushing in behind the Birmingham defence and into the area and his finish took a touch off Legzdins, although not a big enough one to keep it out.

    Birmingham struggled to create chances throughout but had a glorious opportunity to get back into it with 10 minutes to go as a corner found Michael Morrison completely unmarked at the far post, but his failure to hit the target compounded a frustrating night for the Blues.

    Burton boss Nigel Clough:

    "We deserved it for the week we've had. We played well at Wigan and at Ipswich and deserved more than a point on the road, and it was a continuation of those sorts of performances. 

    "We weren't in danger of losing any belief, but [it can be difficult] when you have had two away performances and you haven't scored a goal and only got a point. But I've just been telling the players to keep doing exactly the same things and you will get the rewards.

    "It's nice to get the home win and keep us away from that bottom three."

    Birmingham boss Garry Rowett:

    "Burton didn't surprise us, we knew exactly what would happen and we spoke in depth to the players about how they would go about things. 

    "I thought first 15 we showed really good control and we executed some of the things we spoke about and played with some good quality, but Burton got to grips with it after 20 minutes and started to have some play of their own and impose their formation on ours.

    "I think Burton thoroughly deserved to beat us and I've got no complaints."

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