JOE Powell’s fifth league goal of the season wasn’t enough to secure anything from the home clash with Barnsley as the visitors hit back with three goals in the second half to seal all three points.
Powell fired in a trademark finish late in the first half as Albion profited from a good first half’s play but substitute John McAtee fired in two quickfire goals in the second half for the visitors to turn the game on its head before Luca Connell fired in a third on a hugely disappointing afternoon for the Brewers at the Pirelli Stadium.
After the Good Friday draw at Wigan, boss Martin Paterson opted for just the single change for the home game against Barnsley to finish the bank holiday programme. Rekeem Harper returned to the side in place of Steve Seddon as the Brewers reverted to a back four with Jasper Moon, against his former side, and Tom Hamer handed the full back roles.
Sam Cosgrove had an early sight of goal for the visitors but a good block from Brayford denied him with the loose ball fired over the top.
Mason Bennett advanced down the right with intent on eight minutes and the striker’s speculative shot forced an awkward save from Liam Roberts in the Barnsley goal. Joe Powell kept the pressure on from the resulting corner with Roberts relieved to see Brayford’s flick landing on the roof of the net.
Helm went on a jinking run through the middle as the game approached the quarter of an hour mark but the midfielder chose the shooting option and saw his effort rising over the goal.
Joe Hugill went close to the opener on twenty minutes breaking forwards onto Moon’s lobbed ball over the top but with Roberts beaten his effort bounced agonisingly the wrong side of the post.
Albion suffered a blow when Bennett limped gingerly from the action on 24 minutes with Deji Oshilaja sent on to provide the experience alongside Hugill.
The on-loan Manchester United man was even close on 32 minutes with a dipping effort that only missed by a whisker after Helm had led a swift counterattack.
Cosgrove had another good sight of goal when a route one approach almost paid dividends for the visitors, the big striker turning smartly in the box but knocking the ball wide of Crocombe and the post in one movement.
It proved a costly miss as Albion edged in front moments later. Harper won an important challenge in midfield releasing POWELL to drive forwards and fire home from twenty yards.
Hugill took a painful blow in making a block on the stroke of half time after a hard working forty-five minutes which saw Albion lead at the break.
HALF TIME: BURTON ALBION 1-0 BARNSLEY
The visitors made a double change for the second half as they sought an equaliser to continue their impressive run of away form with midfielder Adam Phillips and frontman McAtee sent on to try and restore parity.
And it was McATEE that provided the response nine minutes after the break firing high into the roof of the net after Cosgrove’s header had been half cleared.
Albion responded with a double change of their own with Bobby Kamwa and Steve Seddon providing more attacking options down the left.
But it was Barnsley and McATEE that struck again on 64 minutes, the striker unerring from distance after a flick on from Cosgrove.
And Barnsley gave themselves a two-goal cushion when CONNELL was allowed to advance into the area and find the bottom corner.
It was an uphill task for Albion at this stage and the visitors made sure they saw out the game without a real threat on their goal.
ALBION: Crocombe; Moon (Ola-Adebomi, 87), Hughes, Brayford (Sweeney, 87), Hamer; Powell, Harper (Kamwa, 62), Gilligan (Seddon, 62), Powell, Helm; Hugill, Bennett (Oshilaja, 24).
Substitutes: Blackman, Hackford.
GOALS: - ALBION – Powell (37) ; BARNSLEY – McAtee (54, 64), Connell (69)
Referee: Martin Coy
Attendance: 4,024
