ALBION'S three game unbeaten run was ended by high flying Peterborough United as the visitors maintained their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League One courtesy of goals either side of half time from Joe Ward and Siriki Dembele.
The visitors looked the more threatening in the first half and Ward's deflected effort game them the advantage before Dembele's goal on the counter put Steve Evans men in complete control. Jamie Allen's swift response after his errant pass had helped set up United's second set up a tense finish, the midfielder finishing with aplomb into the roof of the net but despite late Albion pressure including efforts from Liam Boyce and substitute David Templeton the Posh held on for the three points.
Albion showed two changes to the side that took a vaulable point away at Portsmouth on Tuesday evening. Devante Cole, who grabbed his first league goal for the club at Fratton Park, earned himself a first league start coming in on the right side of the front three as Ben Fox dropped to the bench with Jake Hesketh moving into a more central role. The other change came in goal where the fit again Brad Collins took over between the sticks from Dimitar Evtimov.
It was Peterborough who started the more purposefully with front pairing Matt Godden and Ivan Toney looking very threatening. Despite their early superiority there was little in the way of clear chances. Defender Ryan Tafazolli managed to find space at the back post to drill a low effort across the six yard box but a good block sent the ball wide without Collins being tested.
The Brewers had their first real sight of goal from a corner on the quarter of an hour mark. Hesketh won and took the corner and when a misdirected headed clearance from Joe Ward came down to Cole his first time volley flew well over the bar.
Peterborough soon responded and when Siriki Dembele was allowed to run at the defence from the left hand side he got deep into the penalty area before Reece Hutchinson hacked his low cross away from just in front of his own goal.
Albion almost profited from a rushed clearance from Posh keeper Aaron Chapman on 25 minutes with both Cole and skipper Lucas Akins helping work the ball inside for Hesketh but unlike on Tuesday when his stunner put Albion in front this time his left foot curling effort was too high.
The visitors snatched the lead just short of the half hour but there was an element of good fortune about it as WARD worked his way across midfield before firing in a speculative effort that took a sizeable deflection to leave Collins wrong footed as it flew past him.
The Brewers shifted to a 4-1-4-1 with Cole at the top and Quinn sitting in as Boyce moved out wide to try and get involved more having been pretty well shackled by the Posh defence to this point.
A great move started off by Quinn almost got the Brewers back on level terms before the break. John Brayford was able to advance forward into plenty of space from the Irishman's pass and it was Quinn who took the return pass but only shot straight at Chapman as Albion stepped up their pressure as half time got closer.
And Jamie Allen had Chapman moving across his goal to take down a rising shot on the turn after Hesketh had seen his low drive blocked on the edge of the six yard box moments earlier.
Half-time: Burton Albion 0-1 Peterborough United
Albion started much more brightly after the restart but the final ball was still lacking to cause too much trouble to Chapman in the United goal. The pace of Dembele however almost brought a second for Steve Evans men as he countered down the left and cut inside to hit a low effort that clipped the outside of the post having beaten Collins.
Peterborough swiftly turned defence into attack when an Albion corner broke down through Allen's crossfield pass being intercepted. Ward turned provider sending the ball forwards for DEMBELE to sprint from halfway, round Collins and guide the ball into the empty net.
Albion needed a quick response and they got it. Brayford, who had got forward several times in the first half did so once again on the hour mark forcing Chapman to push the ball wide from a raking low shot. Boyce was able to prevent it going out before putting it into the path of ALLEN who made up for his earlier error with a rising drive into the roof of the net.
In need of a second Albion sent on David Templeton and Scott Fraser for youngsters Will Miller and Reece Hutchinson with the latter looking like he might be struggling with a knock too.
It was certainly the Brewers asking all the questions now with Albion running at their lofty opponents more as the game ticked on. McFadzean, a double scorer with his head last week tried his luck with a shot from distance with ten minutes remaining but his effort was always rising just too high to worry Chapman.
Templeton's wickedly swerving effort with five to go forced Chapman into another save and the former Accrington stopper produced another outstanding effort to deny Boyce moments later from Fox's low cross.