BURTON Albion bowed out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat at National League side Barnet.
The home side took an early lead and then clung on in the second half with ten men as the Brewers came forward with wave-after-wave of attacks, hitting the bar twice but failing to convert a chance.
The Brewers made three changes with Joe Powell, Kieran Wallace and Niall Ennis coming into the starting line-up with Wallace playing the holding role in a 4-3-3.
The Brewers dominated possession from the off but found clear cut chances hard to come by as the final ball too often went astray.
They then found themselves behind when, on their first real foray forward, Barnet took the lead, a couple of neat passes creating room for Wes Fonguck to clip the ball in sweetly from the edge of the box, albeit with the benefit of a deflection, on nine minutes.
The Brewers didn’t threaten the Barnet goal until the 23rd minute when Lucas Akins had a clear opening. Wallace fed Niall Ennis who crossed for Akins in space in the box. Akins guided the ball towards goal rather than putting his foot through it and Scott Loach got down to save well.
After that it was only from corners that the Brewers threatened with Joe Powell swinging the ball in for John Brayford and Sam Hughes.
Indeed, the home side should have extended their lead in the 44th minute with JJ Hooper finding himself with a clear run on goal. Kieran O’Hara came out and spread himself well to deny a great goal-scoring opportunity.
The Brewers were thrown a lifeline though going into the break when Matt Preston, who had been dominant at centre back, was shown a red card for pulling back Ennis as he threatened to break clear.
HALF-TIME: 1-0
The Brewers started the second half on the front foot, pushing the home team deep into their own half and creating pressure.
On 47 minutes a step over from Ennis allowed him to cut inside and his shot skewed wide with the goal exposed.
The Brewers came even closer four minutes later when a left foot shot from Ennis was deflected and looped up onto the bar. It rebounded to Colin Daniel, but his effort was smothered by a defender and the chance slipped away.
Albion were now well on top, but Barnet were defending their 18-yard box resolutely and threw more bodies in front of the ball as Daniel put in a dangerous, low cross on 59 minutes. The ball came back to the defender on his right foot and he skied it when well placed.
The Brewers brought Charles Vernam on for Ryan Edwards on 64 minutes.
A minute later Sam Hughes nearly scored from a Joe Powell corner, his goal-bound header being blocked by Pascal.
On 75 minutes the Brewers should have been level after Daniel broke down the left and put in a telling low cross. Kane Hemmings was unmarked in the six-yard box but got slightly in front of the ball and could only scoop it up onto the bar and the chance disappeared.
Jack Roles then came on for Wallace as Albion threw more men forward.
As we moved into the final minutes Hughes again got on the end of a Powell corner and Loach could only punch the ball to Jack Roles whose shot was blocked.
It was Albion’s last real chance as the five minutes of added time ticked away and the Brewers cup hopes were ended for another season.
FINAL SCORE: 1-0
Brewers: O’Hara, Brayford, Daniel, Edwards, Wallace, Powell, Hemmings, Akins, Eardley, Hughes, Ennis. Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Lawless, Fox, Roles (for Wallace 79), Vernam (for Edwards 64), O’Toole, Gilligan