Burton Albion Football Club

Gaffer encouraged despite Tuesdays defeat

Manager Gary Rowett was pleased with the effort of his players despite losing 1-0 at Ilkeston last night. 

Burton controlled possession for large periods of the match, but after missing some key chances in both halves, Rowett admits it's the performance and not the results that matters.

"I think that apart from their goal we had quite a few chances with their keeper making a few decent saves and there were some good bits for us to take from the game and work on. 

"We came up against a system we wouldnt normally come up against in the first half and they have a lot of pace up front, which we had to deal with.

"But overall it was a good workout for us and we got 45 minutes into each player, which was always the plan.

"In the second half we were a little bit brighter and played with a bit more tempo but overall lots of things for us to be pleased about."

The game was a good chance for all of the manager's new signings to get some game time under their belt and all of them looked comfortable in their first outings for the club, as Rowett observed. 

"It was good for all the new lads to get some game time under their belt. I thought Beavs (Stuart Beavon) looked sharp in the first half and Lucas (Akins) in the second half showed what he is all about. We had a lot of young lads in there tonight and they all did ok for us."

As well as the new signings a number of Academy players and triallists got their chance to impress and the future looks bright for most of Albion's youngsters on show. 

"I would rather bring the young lads in and give them a chance instead of bringing in four or five other triallists in." explained Rowett,  

"We have some good young players here at the club and we want to try and develop them. Jack O'Brien has come in tonight and so has Sam Austin and both have done ok for us. George Taft is only twenty and we also had Marcus Harness and Joe Doyle out there so a lot of good young players getting their chance."

Supporters were able to see Albion's Dutch triallist striker, revealed as 22 year old Thomas Verheydt who appeared in the second half. Rowett is keen to take a further look at him over the rest of the week and in Saturday's friendly against Sheffield United. 

"We have got Thomas in to have a look.

"He trained yesterday for the first time this pre-season and you have to look at him and say what would he give us if he had done the work the rest of the players have already done? 

"I thought he showed a few good things and some other things that maybe need a bit of work on them. He will stay with us and we will have another look at him on Saturday and then we will make an assessment from there. He is a big powerful boy and if he was a bit fitter and up to speed with where the others are at then you would probably see a different player but I thought that technically he linked things up quite well and on the whole I was quite pleased." 

The Brewers boss still has another goalkeeper on his summer shopping list and tonight it was the turn of former Port Vale and Lincoln City keeper Joe Anyon to stake a claim with Rowett in discussions with several stoppers in his search for the right man to challenge Dean Lyness for the spot in the team. 

"Goalkeeper is a position we are actively looking to strengthen. I have been in talks with one or two permanent signings and one or two possible loan signings all of a good standard. We had a look at Joe tonight and we will continue to look at keepers until we feel that we have got the right one. We have a good three weeks before the season starts but we have to make sure we make the right decision."