CHESTERFIELD 1-2 BURTON ALBION
Jerome Binnom-Williams was Albion's matchwinning hero on an afternoon of great entertainment at the Proact Stadium. The Crystal Palace loanee chose the perfect time to score his first senior goal racing onto Nasser El Khayati's through ball in the fourth minute of added time to slot past Tommy Lee in the Chesterfield goal and send the 915 travelling Burton fans into delirium.It was a great turnaround for the Brewers who had fallen behind inside two minutes when Sam Hird headed home Dan Gardner's header but the unbelievable determination and belief in this Burton squad shone through, Stuart Beavon poaching his fourth of the season just thirty seconds into the second half before Binnom-Williams' late winner kept the Brewers at the summit of League One.
The Brewers love their games at the Proact Stadium having now visited three times and left victorious on each and every occasion and despite the late nature of the winner it was probably no more than Albion deserved having created numerous chances against a creaking Chesterfield defence, held together by Hird, although Jon McLaughlin came to Albion's rescue on a couple of occasions in the second period with fine saves to deny the Spireites.
After successive 1-0 victories with the same team Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink freshened his side up with two changes for the visit to the Spireites. Having been affected by a virus at Swindon last week Binnom-Williams dropped to the bench allowing a refreshed Nasser El Khayati to resume his role on the left side of the attacking three. With Shane Cansdell-Sherriff having not felt 100% during the week Anthony O'Connor was drafted in to partner John Mousinho in the centre of defence. Tom Flanagan took a place on the bench as defensive cover.
Burton had precious little time to settle at a ground where they had an excellent record before they found themselves a goal down. Gboly Ariyibi won a corner on the Chesterfield right off Damien McCrory and Dan Gardner sent in a perfect delivery where Sam HIRD was adjudged to have got the final touch in a crowded six yard box with less than two minutes on the clock.
Albion almost got straight back into the game when El Khayati found space inside the box and although his shot beat Tommy Lee experienced defender Ian Evatt was in the right place to hack clear off the line.
Lucas Akins squandered an excellent chance on ten minutes as the Chesterfield defence parted like the Red Sea. Calum Butcher played the winger through into acres of space but with just Lee to beat he pulled his shot across goal and wide.
Despite being behind Albion were already proving that the Spireites defence was not impregnable and El Khayati made the most of good work by Mark Duffy to hit a low cross that hit Beavon before having another chance from further out that was easy for Lee to save low to his left.
Another chance went begging on 20 minutes as the home defence was carved open again. Akins, trying to atone for his earlier miss, latched on to a neat pass from Beavon and pulled an excellent ball back through the six yard box with nobody able to get a decisive touch to equalise.
Gardner almost claimed an assist for a second Chesterfield goal on 27 minutes after a strong run down the left. Phil Edwards matched him stride for stride as he tried to get clear but he dug out a cross that Ariyibi headed wide at the far post.
The dangerous Jay O'Shea found a great angled pass into the area on 33 minutes which was aimed for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in the middle but the bounce just denied the former Wolves front man from getting a clean shot on goal.
Burton were almost in again shortly afterwards. Beavon picked up a loose ball when Akins went up for a header and drove into the box crossing low to the near post where El Khayati's effort rebounded out to Akins, his shot blocked inside the six yard box as Chesterfield scrambled the ball clear.
A late corner in stoppage time saw Albion come even closer to equalising, Butcher and Edwards both rattling in low shots inside the box with Chesterfield having to defend desperately with blocks to keep their clean sheet in tact as the half time whistle went.
Half time: Chesterfield 1-0 Burton Albion
If Albion were wondering how they had not scored in that first period they need not have worried as Stuart BEAVON struck within thirty seconds of the restart. Mark Duffy's ball in found its way to El Khayati who twisted and turned firing in low towards the near post. That effort failed to beat Lee but the ball was kept alive and Beavon was there to squeeze it in.
Within a minute Akins blazed a left foot shot over after more excellent work from Duffy. Last season's top scorer was reflecting on a hat-trick of spurned opportunities two minutes later rattling the underside of the crossbar as Chesterfield's defence appeared to be disintegrating.
Beavon did superbly to wriggle free from a challenge just outside the box and hungry to add to his tally fired in a low shot that Lee did well to pouch at the first attempt.
Phil Edwards picked up the first yellow card of the game for a late challenge as Chesterfield broke forwards and when Butcher went on a surging run towards the edge of the Spireites box Sam Morsy felled him and also went into referee David Webb's book. Duffy almost meted out the ultimate punishment sweeping the free kick wide, brushing the side netting as it left Lee rooted to the spot.
Hird almost added his second of the game with a flicked header on 70 minutes as a dangerous free kick came into the Burton box but as home arms prepared to go aloft celebrating a goal Jon McLaughlin got down well to keep Albion on level terms.
Robbie Weir spotted Lee off his line and audaciously tried to beat him from inside his own half. Initially it looked as if Lee could be struggling but the ball eventually went wide of the target.
Chesterfield had sent on substitutes Rai Stevens and Armand Gnanduillet to pep up their attack and the two combined well to create a chance for the latter who blazed a shot wide as Damien McCrory slid in to put him off.
Duffy sent in a teasing corner after good work by El Khayati and Edwards got up first inside the six yard box but was just unable to guide it on target.
Albion were raising their game after a spell of Chesterfield pressure and there were half hearted shouts for a penalty when El Khayati rattled in a shot that appeared to be blocked by an arm in blue.
Ironically Weir then picked up a yellow card for handball near his own touchline. the Albion midfielder seemed to be fouled as he landed on the ball and it almost cost his side dear, Gnanduillet getting up highest to head the ball at the back post only for McLaughlin to deny him with a fine reaction save.
Binnom-Williams entered the fray as an 84th minute substitute for Duffy and immediately cut out a stray crossfield pass setting El Khayati on his way into the box for a left foot shot that was deflected into the waiting arms of Lee.
Butcher almost snatched all three points with another strong run into the box but strong defending meant it was a corner at worst from a home perspective.
Neither side were content with just a point, Binnom-Williams bursting from midfield only to be denied by Drew Talbot and Gnanduillet finding his way in to the box with McLaughlin defending his near post well to deny him again.
Matty Palmer came on for Akins just before the added time board went up showing four minutes were remaining for either side to snatch the win and Damien McCrory came closest to grabbing all three points launching himself at El Khayati's pull back only for the excellent Hird to be in the way once more and it was Albion in dreamland in the final seconds of added time, El Khayati sending BINNOM-WILLIAMS racing clear to confidently lift the ball over Lee. What a finish!