DAVIS Keillor-Dunn fired in superb hat-trick but Albion suffered heartbreak as they were denied victory by an equaliser in the sixth minute of added-time to draw 4-4 with old rivals Accrington Stanley.
In a breathtaking game at the Wham Stadium Albion were two up inside seventeen minutes as Keillor-Dunn stroked home a tenth minute penalty for his first goal in Albion colours after Gassan Ahadme was felled in the box and following it up with a superb pinpoint strike from the edge of the box.
The summer recruit had Albion three ahead five minutes into the second half before Accrington mounted their comeback. Joe Pritchard with a quick reply followed by a good finish from Sean McConville. Ahadme looked to have won it nine minutes from time for Albion firing in after Joe Powell had headed against the post but substitute Josh Woods looping header and a close range finish from another sub, Rosaire Longelo denied Albion a first win of the season.
The starting line-up showed two changes to Tuesday evening's Carabao Cup team with both Powell and Charlie Lakin dropping out of the team, replaced by Conor Shaughnessy, returning from suspension, and Victor Adeboyejo in what was a 4-4-2 formation. The summer signing from Barnsley linked up with Ahadme. Shaughnessy slotted straight back into the back four alongside Sam Hughes whilst Calum Butcher started for the first time in the League having got plenty more minutes under his belt against Rochdale. The game also saw Viljami Sinisalo keep his place and thus an EFL league debut.
Albion started positively and a sharp and direct run into the box by Ahadme was abruptly halted by the challenge of debutant Baba Fernandes in the Accrington back line and referee Samuel Barrott was immediately pointing to the spot. KEILLOR-DUNN assumed spot-kick duties and duly despatched the ball beyond Lukas Jensen.
And the former Oldham man almost double his tally on the quarter of an hour mark when a Tom Hamer throw caused problems for the Stanley defence and Keillor-Dunn was on hand, six yards out to volley just wide of the post.
But a minute later the summer signing was not to be denied, Another Hamer long throw was helped into his path by Adeboyejo and from the edge of the box KEILLOR-DUNN fired low into the bottom corner.
Stanley looked strong as they pushed for a goal to get them back into the game but the best chance for the next goal came just after the half hour when Albion countered on the home side, Jonny Smith sending Adeboyejo away down the right and his cross evading both Ahadme and Keillor-Dunn burst towards the edge of the six-yard box.
Albion then suffered a blow as Butcher, looking strong in midfield went down under a challenge and was unable to continue meaning the introduction of Deji Oshilaja as a straight replacement.
Adeboyejo squandered a chance to grab his first Brewers goal after another swift counter attack led by Ahadme and Smith, the Striker making an overlap to pick up the ball but looking to pick his spot, fired over the bar.
Smith took aim in forst half stoppage time with a trademark left foot curling effort but the shot struck Adeboyejo to wrong foot the keeper, the ball eventually bouncing the wrong side of the post.
Half time: Accrington Stanley 0-2 Burton Albion
Accrington's response at half time was to make a triple change to try and turn the course of the game. However it was one of their starters, skipper Sean McConville, who really should have halved the deficit within a minute of the restart. Seizing on a loose pass in midfield the experienced campaigner burst from his own half but was denied by Sinisalo who made himself big to block on the penalty spot. It raised the spirits of the home side who then saw Ethan Hamilton drill a rising effort over the angle of post and bar.
But five minutes into the half the home side were sucker punched as KEILLOR-DUNN sealed his hat-trick. Smith did well to get to a hopeful ball on the right and as he rolled it across the box it came nicely for the former Oldham man to stroke home an easy finish.
But Albion were not able to sit on a three goal lead as Stanley crucially responded within two minutes, McConville's cross met by a very good header from PRITCHARD that was into the ground and away from the diving Sinisalo.
McCONVILLE had his goal moments later, a searching ball finding him down the left and from the edge of the area chipping a shot into the far corner.
It was the home side with all the momentum at this stage as John Coleman's changes certainly had an impact.
Albion made a double change of their own midway through the second half as Powell and Louis Moult entered the fray with the fresh legs to replace the hard working Adeboyejo and Smith.
Moult quickly had a chance to break away onto a pass out of defence from Brayford but Mitch Clark did superbly well to get back to him and slide in to take the ball off his toe on the edge of the box.
Albion had a fourth to restore their two goal advantage nine minutes from time. Moult's cross was headed against the post by fellow sub Powell and the ball fell kindly for AHADME to turn and fire home.
Moult almost added a fifth driving into the box and seeing a deflection by the keeper take his low strike away from goal. Borthwick-Jackson also fired into the side-netting as Albion looked for more goals to round their afternoon off.
Accrington set up a nervy finish just as seven additional minutes were being signalled. A long kick from keeper Lukas Jensen finding the head of WOODS inside the box and his stretching header looped over Sinisalo to give the hosts hope.
And the equaliser came in the sixth added minute as LONGELO, one of the half time substitutes, turned the ball in from close range to deny Albion victory despite protests that a dangerously high boot in the box should have been penalised.
ALBION: Sinisalo; Brayford, Hughes, Shaughnessy, Hamer; Smith (Powell, 66), Butcher (Oshilaja, 34), Borthwick-Jackson, Keillor-Dunn; Ahadme, Adeboyejo (Moult, 66).
Substitutes: Garratt, Onyango, Taylor, Castro.
GOALS: STANLEY - Pritchard (52), McConville (57), Woods (90), Longelo (90+6) ; ALBION - Keillor-Dunn (10 pen, 17, 50), Ahadme (81)
Referee: Samuel Barrott
Attendance: 1,997 (143 away)