MARK Helm struck the first two goals of his senior career as Albion clinched a precious three points with a 3-2 win over high-flying Sheffield Wednesday.
then confidently fired home from outside the box to put Albion in control. Wednesday pushed after the break but only had a Michael Smith penalty to show for their efforts as Albion held on to move eight points clear of the League One drop zone.
With Albion contending with a visit from the League One leaders, Dino Maamria made two changes from Easter Monday’s 3-2 defeat at Charlton Athletic. Zac Ashworth returned to the side at left wing back in place of Thierry Latty-Fairweather and after an influential performance from the start against Barnsley on Good Friday, Mustapha Carayol returned in the attacking positions. The bench showed an attacking intent and there was a return to the squad for former Owls forward Sam Winnall on his return from an ankle injury picked up scoring the winner at Bristol Rovers back in February.
Albion created the first real chance on goal as Wednesday switched off at a throw in allowing Carayol to gather in Shaughnessy’s throw. His cross was a good one and found Sam Hughes in the middie, Albion’s centre back getting a strong header in that just dropped wide of the post.
Wednesday, looking to build on their Easter Monday win against Accrington that took them back to the top of the table, carved out their first real opening on ten minutes, Callum Paterson allowed to help the ball into the path of Dennis Adeniran with the midfielder unable to keep his angled drive down from ten yards out.
Barry Bannon, the Wednesday playmaker almost conjured a goal from nothing on the quarter hour mark, as the ball bobbled around on the edge of the Burton box, the Scot, tried to catch Albion unawares with a quick curling shot but MacGillivray was able to watch it drop just beyond the angle of post and bar. Bannan also drilled a low shot wide of the same upright as The Owls sought to hit the front.
However it was Albion who hit the front moments later when BRAYFORD rose at the back post to head Carayol’s corner inside the post.
Wednesday were level seven minutes later, Bannan was able to turn the ball into the path of PATERSON and the striker was able to burst forward and find the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Albion were not going to let their hosts take over from there and The Brewers were back in front on 34 minutes. Jasper Moon sent an angled ball into the box where Hughes did well to get above Aden Flint and head the ball into the danger area. From there HELM did the rest, steering the ball past Cameron Dawson with the outside of his foot.
Three minutes later and the young midfielder had doubled his tally, cutting inside and drilling a low 25-yard shot inside the post.
Lee Gregory twisted and turned inside the area three minutes before the break as Wednesday looked for a goal to set themselves up for a storming second half but MacGillivray was right behind his eventual shot.
Half time: BURTON ALBION 3-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Wednesday began with purpose at the start of the second half and Gregory was again sniffing out chances with an angled shot beating MacGillvray but also inches wide of the far post too.
With the visitors momentarily down to ten men whilst Bannon replaced a blood-stained shirt, Albion almost profited. Taylor escaped away down the right but once inside the box could not quite pick out Carayol in the middle, unmarked and in the perfect position to score.
Carayol was enjoying a good battle with Bannan down the left but the winger took his leave shortly afterwards, with twenty minutes remaining after stretching for a loose ball and tweaking something. Gassan Ahadme was summonsed from the bench as his replacement.
Moon required treatment late on as Wednesday tried to press and they visitors tried to capitalise as the on-loan Barnsley man waited to come back on but MacGillivray commanded his box well to claim the looping high ball.
Substitute Michael Smith headed across the face of an open goal when MacGillivray was tempted off his line with eight minutes to play, the ball dropping wide with no Wednesday player alive enough to poach the loose ball.
SMITH was cool from the penalty spot moments later though sending MacGilivray the wrong way after Joe Powell had brought Marvin Johnson down just inside the box. The visitors piled on the pressure late on but Albion’s defensive rearguard held firm for a cdrudcial three points.
ALBION: MacGillivray; Brayford, Hughes, Moon; Oshilaja, Shaughnessy, Powell, Ashworth; Helm, D.Taylor, Carayol (Ahadme, 70).
Substitutes: Garratt, Winnall, Kirk, Walker, McCann, Ahadme, Kamwa.
GOALS: ALBION - Brayford (21), Helm (34, 37) ; WEDNESDAY - Paterson (28), Smith (85 pen)
Referee: Will Finnie
Attendance: 4,682