A second goalless draw for Albion after a hard fought encounter with Wigan Athletic but it could have been all three points but for an outstanding piece of Wigan defending in added on time
For a moment it looked as if Joe Powell's lob over a stranded Ben Amos in the Wigan goal was going to win it but superb awareness and defending from Newcastle loanee Kell Watts ensured that the visitors left with a share of the spoils after a game of few chances but without lacking endeavour from both sides.
After an improved performance and a precious clean sheet against Plymouth on Saturday it was only an injury to Jonny Smith that prevented Albion naming an unchanged side for the visit of the league leaders. With Smith declared as injured for the remainder of the campaign with a shoulder problem it was Christian Saydee who got the nod to replace him in attack. Oumar Niasse returned to the squad and was handed the vacant place on the substitutes bench.
The opening stages saw Wigan have plenty of the ball, as expected expected for a team top of the table, but Matej Kovar remained untested in the Burton goal. Even when the visitors gnerated their first attempt on goal on eleven minutes it was a wayward attempt, former Albion man Tom Naylor firing well over the bar.
Powell had Albion's first sight of goal moments later but his effort was even further from the target than Naylor.
Referee Andy Haines brandished the first yellow card of the night in the direction of Watts after the defender grabbed more than a handful of Saydee's shirt as the striker turned him on the half way line and threatened to burst clear.
Wigan spurned a glorious chance to open the scoring on 25 minutes when Deji Oshilaja miscontrolled a long ball out from Wigan allowing Josh Magennis to run through on the Burton goal but Kovar stood up well and got an excellent block to deny the Irish international striker.
Albion almost saw the rareity of a Michael Mancienne goal on 28 minutes as the ball fell invitingly for him outside the box and having sent the ball back goalwards watched as keeper Ben Amos threw himself to his right to parry the ball away.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson found a yard of space for himself on 34 minutes but his effort from the edge of the box took a nick off a defender to earn Albion a corner and Wigan were at full stretch as Albion tried to find a breakthrough from the set piece.
Harry Chapman was presented with a good opportunity on 38 minutes when Max Power's miscontrol under pressure left him with juts the keeper to beat from distance but having to take it first time he curled it agonisingly wide of the upright.
Half time: Burton Albion 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Albion had stifled appeals for a penalty or at least a free kick on the very edge of the box when Borthwick-Jackson appeared to be clipped after playing the ball into the area before Naylor set his sights on goal again, this time from 25 yards but only finding the waiting arms of Kovar.
Wigan began to ramp up the pressure and Will Keane's slight flick on JOe Bennett's free kick looked goalbound but Kovar got enought on it to send it onto the roof of the net.
Burton responded with a quick double change in attack, both Louis Moult and Niasse sent on for Chapman and Saydee before the game had reached the hour mark.
Albion were playing some excellent football and a teasing cross from Tom Hamer with twenty minutes remaining picked out Niasse at the back post, the striker attempting a side foot finish when a header may have been more effective, his close range effort ending over the bar.
Moult ran through late on after a slip in the Wigan defence before finding himself tackled on the edge of the box as he shaped to shoot and when the loose ball eventually came out to Powell the chance was there but it was not to be as Albion.
No goals but plenty for the Brewers faithful to get begind with just two home games remaining this campaign.
ALBION: Kovar; Hughes, Brayford, Oshilaja; Hamer, Mancienne, Borthwick-Jackson, Kokolo; Powell; Chapman (Moult, 57), Saydee (Niasse, 57).
Substitutes: Garratt, Ahadme, Leak, Maddox, Lakin.
Referee: Andy Haines
Attendance: 3,589