DANIEL Jebbison's ninth goal of the season secured a valuable point for the Brewers as they came from behind to grab a 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon
In a game of few clear cut chances it was the visitors who grabbed the lead with twenty minutes remaining, Ollie Palmer sliding the ball in from a tight angle to put them in sight of a first ever win at the Pirelli Stadium but a barnstorming run from Joe Powell seven minutes later saw a low cross towards the far post and Jebbison on hand to bundle the ball home.
Albion showed just one change to their starting line-up from the confidence-boosting 3-1 win away at Gillingham on their last outing. Tom O'Connor dropped out of the team in midfield, his place going to Academy graduate Ciaran Gilligan for his first League appearance of the season.
And the young midfielder was involved in a moment of controversy inside the first couple of minutes as his cross seemed to be blocked by the arm of a Wimbledon defender with referee sticking with his decision to only award a corner after consulting with his assistant.
A raking ball out from the back from Deji Oshilaja picked out Tom Hamer in space on the right and his cross was awkwardly headed behind by Will Nightingale but from the resulting corner Wimbledon broke with pace through Dapo Mebude who raced half the length of the pitch before sliding his shot across goal and wide of the far post under pressure from the fast-recovering Oshilaja.
The Wombles carved out a decent chance on nineteen minutes, former Chelsea youngster Luke McCormick drilling a low cross through the box and although it evaded striker Ollie Palmer it came for skipper Alex Woodyard just outside the box, the midfielder blazing the ball over the bar.
Gassan Ahadme spurned the perfect oportunity to grab his first Albion goal on the half hour. Peeling away at the back post he connected with a deep cross from Oshilaja but directed his header across the six yard box and wide of the far post.
Albion worked a great chance on 38 minutes as Jebbison outmuscled Nightingale before driving into the box and although his shot was saved by Nik Tzanev the ball eventually came out to Joe Powell who saw his effort smothered at the second attempt. A minute later and Albion were in again, Jebbison again getting the better of Nightingale to prod the ball inside for Gilligan who helped it on to Ahadme, the former Norwich man sweeping a first time shot just wide of the upright.
Half time: Burton Albion 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
Ahadme worked a chance for himself in the opening moments of the second half but he dragged a low shot wide of the post without troubling Tzanev.
Jebbison was proving a real handful for the Wimbledon defence and his trickery on the edge of the box opened up a chance for Hamer steaming in on the right but he blazed his effort well wide.
Albion's on-loan Sheffield United frontman was next to go close when another Oshilaja cross found him inside the box but guiding his header on target he was denied by Tzanev who dropped comfortably onto the ball.
Wiimbledon susbtitute Ayoub Assal had only been on the pitch a matter of moments when he spurned the best chance yet for the visitors. A chipped ball into the box found Albion short of cover and when Jack Rudoni nodded the ball into the path of the substitute he only had Garratt to beat but skied his effort well over the bar.
Assal had a hand in Wimbledon's goal when it came with twenty minutes remaining. Combining with Rudoni they opened up space for PALMER who found the net off the inside of the far post.
But Albion were fired up for an equaliser and a long mazy run from Powell took him deep into the Wimbledon box, his low cross eventually bundled home from close range by JEBBISON.
The striker was close to a tenth goal of the campaign not long after when he was picked out by a neat pass from substitute William Kokolo turning in the area and seeing his rising shot plucked out of the air by Tzanev.
Wimbledon saw an effort cleared off the line by Hughes but it was Albion pressing at the end but just unable to force a winner as they continued their unbeaten start to the calendar year.
ALBION: Garratt; Hughes, Brayford, Oshilaja; Hamer, Gilligan (Lakin, 84), Taylor (Kokolo, 73), Borthwick-Jackson; Powell; Jebbison, Ahadme.
Substitutes: Hawkins, Smith, O'Connor, Leak, Mancienne.
GOALS: ALBION - Jebbison (77) ; WIMBLEDON - Palmer (70)
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Attendance: 2,768