GILBERT ADMITS FRUSTRATION AS POSTPONEMENTS AFFECT BURTON ALBION MOMENTUM

5 January 2022

JOINT-MANAGER Kristian Gilbert admits recent postponements have led to a frustrating halt in momentum for Burton Albion.

The Brewers have won their last two FA Women's National League Division One Midlands games, 2-1 away at Holwell Sports and 3-1 at Bedworth United, but those games were played on November 17 and December 12.

Those victories followed a difficult run of form for Albion, going six without a win, but those more recent victories have pulled Albion out of the relegation zone (with four teams going down from Division One Midlands this season) - and continuing our improvement from the previous two seasons.

And Albion will be hoping to play their first game of 2022 this weekend with our rearranged County Cup clash at Sutton United Ladies scheduled for Sunday, January 9 (2pm kick-off).

But with two County Cup games called off in recent months, the first one resulting in an Albion walkover win, and another league game against Wem Town postponed, Gilbert admits it has been frustrating for his side not to be able to continue building momentum.

"I think frustrating is the word," said Gilbert. "Two league wins on the bounce, we're hoping to make it third in the County Cup but with how it’s fallen, it hasn’t helped us with momentum.

"That County Cup tie against Sutton has been rescheduled for January 9, which means the Doncaster Belles league game has to move, but we just want to get going in the league again.

"The atmosphere has been brilliant the whole time and naturally confidence dipped a bit during that bad run of form, but we’ve kept doing the things we’re good at and training has been excellent.

"I think if you’d given us this situation a year ago we’d snap your hand off. We know it’s very small margins in the league and had one or two things gone differently it could have looked different.

"With them relegating four teams this year, it makes it a lot more difficult. We’ll have a much better idea of when everyone is halfway through - but we’re confident, and we have been all season, that we’ll be fine."

Albion's win at Holwell came courtesy of a late strike from Emmalee Hornsby - the second time that striker Hornsby has secured three points.

"At the start of the season, those late goals were going against us but we’ve turned that round," said Gilbert.

"The squad is deeper now and the competition is looking good through the squad. Fitness, too - you can see the work that Josh Davidson is doing with the players on the strength and conditioning side."

Match Reports

REPORT | SUTTON UNITED LADIES 0-8 BURTON ALBION

11 January 2022

EMILY Gillott (centre) and Millie Drinkhall (right) both scored braces in Burton Albion's 8-0 win over Sutton United Ladies

BURTON Albion hit eight past Sutton United Ladies on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Birmingham FA County Cup.

Two goals each from Millie Drinkhall and Emily Gillott, along with strikes from Danni Oxley, Charlotte Jarvis, Mo Smith and Milly Wortley sealed a comprehensive victory for the Brewers.

Only an inspired goalkeeping performance from the home side’s keeper prevented Burton from hitting double figures – but it was nevertheless a satisfying performance.

Despite dominating the early exchanges, it did take the Brewers 13 minutes to break the deadlock.

GILLOTT was a constant menace down the left-hand side, as she used her pace to good effect, and it was her that was on-hand to strike the opener as she finished off Ella Ritchie’s brilliant delivery into the box.

The winger was also involved in the second goal which came on 22 minutes. After exchanging passes with the overlapping SMITH who took the ball into her stride, took a touch and smashed the ball past the keeper for her first goal in a Burton shirt.

WORTLEY netted on 27 minutes, which seemed to kill the match as a contest as she poked home a poorly-defended corner to give the Brewers a commanding advantage.

OXLEY then made it three goals in the space of just six first half minutes for Albion as she simply finished at the back post following more good work from Ritchie on the wing.

Yet for the remainder of the half Sutton defended doggedly to ensure they didn’t go into the break trailing by any more than four goals, with the goalkeeper making one particularly inspired save at the back post to deny Oxley from yards out.

With the game resuming, it didn’t take long for the Brewers to add a fifth. After an impressive first half performance, DRINKHALL was rewarded with a goal as she found space in behind to smash the ball into the net.

Ritchie also came close to adding her name to the scoresheet, but with time and space inside the area, she could only fire straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.

DRINKHALL grabbed her second of the game in the 62^nd minute as she showed a cool head to slide the ball under the advancing ‘keeper and make it 6-0 to the Brewers.

With eight minutes to go and Sutton legs tiring Burton notched a seventh when GILLOTT came back from off the bench to slot into the bottom corner after being put through by Ritchie.

Despite the scoreline, the Sutton goalkeeper was unphased and continued to make some remarkable stops. After initially blocking Ritchie’s route to goal, the keeper managed to get back to her feet to parry away Jarvis’ effort with her fingertips.

JARVIS, from centre-back, would not be denied her goal though, as deep into injury time she showed a striker’s instinct to thump the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

The Brewers now face Boldmere St Michaels away from home in the quarter-finals on Sunday.