Burton Albion Football Club

We may have found our goal of the season, just 16 games in. With Northampton searching for the winning goal after a late equaliser up stepped Alex MacDonald, who struck a free-kick from 35 yards into the top right hand corner. 

"Luckily for me it went into the top corner," Alex modestly told Brewers Player.

"It was a good goal, but i'm made up for everyone as it's been a tough couple of weeks.

"I've been trying to hit them for a while and i've hit the bar and post a few times."

MacDonald however was keen to praise the team and not talk about his performance, as the Brewers were able to stop a run, which included one win out of six games.

"It's a really tough place to come, as Northampton are a good side with a good manager.

"We had a game plan, we stuck to it and we worked hard in the game.

"We did come under pressure towards the end and that's always going to be the case, when you come to places like this and you're beating them 1-0.

"They got an equaliser late on, but we showed the character we've got and it's a great result for us."

The Brewers opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time and MacDonald thought lone striker Jacob Blyth was excellent on his return to Sixfields. 

"It was something we've worked on using Blythy (Jacob Blyth) as he's a handful. 

"I thought he was brilliant today and he took his goal really well. 

"It was a big lift with the goal going in before half-time.

"I felt we took that into the second-half and showed exactly why we're near the top of the league."

The most pleasing aspect for the Brewers was that the victory came with a squad being heavily stretched. Stuart Beavon (groin) and Shane Cansdell-Sheriff (flu) didn't travel meaning John Mousinho slotted into centre-back next to Ian Sharps who himself wasn't 100% fit. MacDonald admitted after the game that, that's the quality Mousinho has to offer.

"Moose is a good player, who's been around and knows the game inside out. 

"I think wherever you put him on the park he'll do a job for you, but I think thats the case for a lot of the players.

"We've all got that mentality where we're altogether as one and striving for the same thing.

"Moose was the shining example of that today playing centre-half and he was brilliant, just as he has been when he walked through the door."