Burton Albion Football Club

With an opportunity to push their lead to four points at the top of the table, Gary Rowett felt his side were their own downfall after losing 3-1 to Cambridge United. The Brewers had excellent opportunities to score before Tom Elliott broke the deadlock and It was that opening goal that Rowett felt his side let happen too easily. 

"If you look at various stages of the game and think about the first-half there wasn't much in the game. 

"We didn't start as brightly as I'd hoped, but we still had one or two opportunities in and around the box. 

"They made it difficult for us and put a player in front of the back four, so there wasn't an awful lot of space. 

"I felt that if you look at the goals, the first one is a very poor goal to concede and it's far too easy to cross it in from the left.

"I think we have to look at that, as we're conceding poor goals at the wrong times in games and that's three games out the last four where we've not defended well enough."

After conceding the first-half goal, Rowett felt the team pushed too hard for the equaliser.

"We probably chased the game a little too hard and fast and really unnecessarily. 

"I think at times we need to have a little bit more discipline with our team shape and how we move the ball. 

"If we go 1-0 down it's not the end of the world and it's going to happen sometimes.

"But what you don't want to do is end up with too many bodies forward and chasing something to allow them the chance to counter attack."

The Brewers have now lost three out of their last four in the league and Rowett believes that his side must restrict the opposition from having too many easy opportunities.

"I would say the most disappointing thing about tonight was that we allowed them opportunities without them having to work to hard.

"I don't think it helps making a change after five minutes and I don't think it helps when you could argue they should be down to ten men.

"But we've got to do better and we'll have to be better.

"We have to make sure that if we do go a goal down to a goal we shouldn't concede, then we should remain focused and keep our discipline."