Young midfieler keen to build on Monday's win
Burton Albion midfielder Matty Palmer highlighted the significance of winning the first game under new manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink after Albion’s 3-1 away win against promotion rivals Wycombe Wanderers.
minute header secured the points shortly after the Chairboys had halved the deficit to 2-1 with a Paul Hayes penalty.thThe Brewers now sit in fourth in the League Two table, after goals from Phil Edwards, Alex MacDonald and Jacob Blyth. Blyth’s 68
With only Wycombe’s superior goal difference denying Albion their berth into the automatic promotion places, Palmer, who picked up two assists, knew the importance of taking three points away from Adams Park.
“They are near the top of league like us, so to come here and get three points is obviously a really good result. I think our play deserved it so we’re all really happy,” he said.
The 19-year-old who came through the youth ranks at Albion, praised the team’s reaction to new boss Hasselbaink’s tactics
“The gaffer has come in and put his ideas across in the last three days and I think we’ve all took to them and it showed really well tonight.
“I think we played with a lot of attacking style tonight. Every time we were going forward we looked a danger, which maybe we haven’t in the previous games. So far what we’ve been working on in training has paid off,” said Palmer.
An inspired Hasselbaink change that proved to be crucial was the formation a central midfield partnership between Palmer and on-loan Blackburn midfielder Darragh Lenihan, 20, who made his Football League debut.
Both were worthy of the man of the match award, with a humble Palmer quick to focus on Lenihan’s promising performance after receiving the accolade.
“I thought Darragh played really well tonight. He was obviously told to be the one in front of the striker and to be the more defensive one out of the two. He did it really well and it enabled me to go forward and play in the attacking third which worked really well.”
The dominance of the midfield duo was encapsulated by the exceptional display of the whole Brewers line-up and discounting the penalty incident the away side were always in control.
“I don’t think they caused us any problems tonight. Apart from the penalty I don’t think they had a clear cut chance. Every time we went forward it looked like we could open them up and get another goal,” summarised Palmer.
With another tough test to come on Saturday, as Albion welcome a Luton Town side who are unbeaten in 11 league games to the Pirelli Stadium, Hasselbaink will need Palmer to demonstrate the same quality to help gain a result.
“Looking at the statistics with me making two goals and getting man of the match, it probably is my best game in an Albion shirt, but I think the whole team deserves a lot of credit tonight because we all put a really good performance in, every one of us and it helped me to do what I did.”