NIGEL Clough has praised skipper Jake Buxton for the influence he is having on the Brewers solid defence ahead of tonight's trip to Coventry (kick off 7.45pm).
Albion have kept five clean sheets in the League this year and have stopped the opposition from scoring in three out of the last five games.
The Albion manager says that Buxton is playing a key part in that.
He said: “Since Jake has come back into the team, he has been excellent – the experience he brings and everything.
“I can’t remember him hardly losing a header in the last six weeks which is a good sign for a centre half.
“It’s good when we are so tight, and it means someone has to step up the other end of the pitch then and score. Because it’s not just about defending, and we are still encouraging our full backs to support our wide men and get forward.”
Clough believes the long, hard season has taken some of the sharpness out of his attacking players while the defenders are coping better with the rigours of a 46-game league season.
He said: “The ones who are seeing it through are the ones who have played regularly. Colin Daniel has been playing all season, Jake has been playing a few months, Lucas Akins has been there all along and Stephen Quinn. They are the experienced ones who know how to get through it.”