ALBION slipped to their first defeat of the season in a frustrating 3-0 loss to Cambridge United

On a day when everything seemed to go against the Brewers they looked comfortable until just after half time when a wickedly deflected shot from Sam Smith found its way past Ben Garratt before two more deflections off Tom Hamer secured a flattering 3-0 victory for the hosts.

Albion went with an unchanged side for the visit to the Abbey Stadium with youth scholars Ben Radcliffe and Charlie Williams making the bench in place of Michael Bostwick and Terry Taylor.

Adter a bright start by the Brewers it was the home side with the first real chance of the game on six minutes, Joe Ironside see ing his effort from the edge of the box deflected wide for the first corner of the game.

Albion were forced into an early change in the eleventh minute, Tom O'Connor stretching for the ball and immediately pulling up with a hamstring problem. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson sent on to occupy the defensive midfield role with the Berwers boss keen not to disturb the back four by moving Conor Shaughnessy.

A swift break just after the quarter of an hour mark frred Lucas Akins down the left and driving at the box he curled a shot towards the far corner with a deflection taking it wide.

Borthwick-Jackson helped launch the next Albion raid on 22 minutes sliding a pass through for Omari PAtrick to race towards goal but his eventual shot was half blocked by a defender making it easy for Mitov in the United goal to complete a comfortable save.

Patrick was through on goal again on 27 minutes latching onto a pass from Smith but this time Mitov was equal to his shot, saving with his legs.

Cambridge looked threatening in and around the Burton box but struggled to carve out any clear cut openings to threaten Ben Garratts goal.

On the stroke of half time Albion produced another opportunity, HAmer favouring a short throw in to allow Smith to curl a cross in that Ryan Leak could not quite steer on target.

Half time: Cambridge United 0-0 Burton Albion

It was a purposeful start to the second period for Albion, looking to assert themselves on the game and Powell worked himself a chance to test Mitoc at his near post, the keeper equal to his low driven effort.

Albion forced a corner shortly afterwards and it was Borthwick-Jackson who had the chance to lash a 25 yard effort not too far past the post.

Against the run of play it was United who snatched the lead on 53 minutes, SMITH seizing his chance to take a pot shot from just outside the box and getting a slice of luck with the deflection to beat Garratt.

Smith quickly went hunting for a second, Leak snuffing the ball out in the centre from a teasing Jack Iredale cross.

Albion worked a good chance again juts before the hour mark but Akins, in space on the left could only shoot tamely at Mitov.

The openings were still coming and Jonny Smith's last action on 65 minutes was to curl a shot agonisingly inches wide of the far post before he was replaced by Danny Rowe.

Cambridge doubled their lead on 73 minutes, Wes Hoolahan escaping down the left and sending in a cross that was missed by substitute Shilow Tracey in the middle but there was nothing HAMER could do as the ball hit him and bounced past his keeper.

Aaron Amadi-Holloway was quickly summonsed from the bench in place of Powell.

Cambridge had another huge slice of luck on 79 minutes when a speculative cross from right back George Williams took a wicked deflection off a Burton defender on the edge of the box to wrog foot Garratt and land in the corner of the net.

Amadi-Holloway glanced a header into the arms of Mitov and HAmer also found the waiting arms of the goalkeeper with a placed effort.

Albion knew their luck was out in the dying moments when a combination of Holloway and Leak were both foiled on or close to the line as the ball somehow stayed out.

Substitute Harvey Knibbs was denied a fourth for Cambridge in stoppage time by an excellent save from Garratt on a thoroughly disappointing afternoon for the Brewers.

ALBION: Garratt; Brayford, Shaughnessy, Leak, Hamer; Mancienne, O'Connor (Borthwick-Jackson, 11); Smith (Rowe, 66), Powell (Amadi-Holloway, 76), Akins; Patrick.
Substitutes: Balcombe, Blake-Tracy, Radcliffe, Williams.

GOALS: CAMBRIDGE: Smith (53), Hamer (73 og, 79 og)

Referee: Ben Toner

Attendance: 4,468 (289 away)