FACTS and figures relating to tomorrow’s away game at Fleetwood Town from Tony Bentley.
ON THIS DAY – APRIL 27
The last time Burton Alion played a Football League game on April 27 Fleetwood Town were again their opponents. Albion were at home on a Tuesday night in 2021, with no fans present. Lucas Akins put his side ahead in the 35th minute, curling home with his left foot from 20 yards. Joe Powell doubled the advantage with a 22-yard free kick four minutes later, which went in off both posts. Sam Finley pulled a goal back for Fleetwood in the 62nd minute, running on to round Keiran O’Hara and score. Tom Hamer restored the two-goal advantage firing home from 15 yards in the 72nd minute. Kane Hemmings made it 4-1 in the 85th minute, cutting in from the left wing before curling a shot into the bottom corner. Fleetwood got a second in the 90th minute when Jordan Rossiter bundled home. However, there was still time for Hemmings to score another when Sean Clare squared the ball for him to finish from 12 yard to complete a 5-2 win.
Albion were at home to Luton Town on Saturday, April 27, 2019. A crowd of 4,903 saw former Burton loanee James Collins put Luton ahead in the 30th minute. Two second half goals from Lucas Akins, in the 62nd and 73rd minute, earned Nigel Clough’s side all three points.
Chesterfield were the visitors on this date in 2014. A crowd of 4,855 saw Jay O’Shea score both goals, in the 52nd and 79th minute, to earn the Derbyshire side all three points.
A large crowd of 5,426 were inside the Pirelli Stadium in 2013 for the visit of Gillingham. Myles Weston put the Kent side ahead from the penalty spot in the 9th minute. Billy Kee made it 1- in the 33rd minute, before Michael Symes put Albion ahead six minutes later. Calvin Zola made it 3-1 in the 63rd minute, before Nathan Nyalfli completed the scoring in the 66th minute as the Brewers won 3-2 to complete their 17th home win of the season.
FLEETWOOD TOWN
The last time Albion visited Fleetwood was on Saturday, February 4 2023. A crowd of 3,022 saw Jayden Stockley bundle home a low cross in the 58th minute. Deji Oshilaja equalised two minutes later, heading home from close range. Tom Hamer put Burton ahead in the 80th minute when he ran onto a Josh Walker through ball to poke the ball through the keeper’s legs. Josh Vela was dismissed in the 86th minute for kicking out at Zac Ashworth. Fleetwood thought they’d snatched a point when Promise Omochere broke away to equalise in the 90th minute. There was still time for a Burton winner though, and as Dale Taylor saw his shot blocked, Charlie Kirk deftly volleyed home the loose ball to secure all three points.
The previous league meeting at Highbuury was on, October 19 2021, just two weeks before the sides met again there in the FA Cup. Tom O’Connor scored the only goal of the game after 36 minutes, direct from a corner kick.
In 2020 the match at Fleetwood was the opening game of the Covid hit season on September 12. With no fans in the ground Callum Camps gave the home side a 17th minute lead. Brewers captain John Brayford headed the Brewers level from a corner after 66 minutes. Paddy Madden scored, what turned out to be the match winner, after 79 minutes, before John Joe O’Toole was foolishly sent off in the 90th minute to start the Jake Buxton era with a defeat.
It was the Paddy Madden show when Fleetwood hosted Burton Albion on October 19, 2019. A crowd of 3,098 saw Ched Evans give Fleetwood a 38th minute lead, before Oliver Sarkic equalised right on the stroke of half time. Nigel Clough’s side were blown away in the second half with Madden netting himself a hat trick to earn the Cod Army a 4-1 win.
Player Birthdays 27th April to 4th May
30th April – John Mousinho 38, Lee Morris 44, Andy Gooding 36
