TWO first half goals from Northampton Town gave the visitors all three points on a difficult afternoon at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Brewers looked good early on but the game swung decisively when Marc Leonard saw his shot deflect decisively off Toto Nsiala to leave Max Crocombe beaten and a second long range strike from Mitch Pinnock provided Albion with a mountain they could not climb in the second half.
Albion showed just the one change to the side that won a second straight away game at Leyton Orient last week. Deji Oshilaja returned after completing his two-game ban in place of Ciaran Gilligan.
The Brewers made a strong start and could have gone in front on four minutes. Toto Nsiala lobbed a teasing ball down the right and Mason Bennett got there before keeper Louie Moulden to head just wide under pressure.
Bennett then showed good awareness to nod the ball into the path of Ademola Ola-Adebomi but the Crystal Palace youngster could not keep his effort down.
But the Cobblers grew into the game and grabbed a fortuitous lead on 22 minutes. After a spell of possession, the ball landed at the feet of LEONARD and his speculative 25-yard effort took a wiked deflection off Nsiala, wrong footing Max Crocombe and landing in the back of the net.
Albion almost responded immediately, a Tom Hamer long throw headed on by Ryan Sweeney and Moulden having to scramble across to push the ball behind.
It was developing into a tight contest in midfield, but Northampton capitalised on a poor pass from Mark Helm to double their lead on 36 minutes. PINNOCK intercepted the ball and needed no invitation to lash in a 25-yard strike.
Again, Albion were close to an instant response, Oshilaja trying an audacious curling effort from almost on the right touchline and as Moulden floundered the ball landed on the roof of his net.
HALF TIME: BURTON ALBION 0-2 NORTHAMPTON TOWN
Martin Paterson gave his starting side the opportunity to make a quick second half impression but rang the changes on 57 minutes with four substitutes. Strikers Bennett and Ol-Adebomi were replaced with Joe Hugill and Kyle Hudlin whilst Helm was taken off in favour of Mustapha Carayol, Steve Seddon completing the changes replacing Tolaji Bola.
Albion began to look a little more promising and Bobby Kamwa was a final change on 68 minutes replacing skipper John Brayford.
Northampton also made a couple of changes and Shaun McWilliams almost added a third for Town with his first touch, firing a long-range effort against the post.
Hudlin forced a late save from Moulden with a header at the near post. Carayol flashed a low shot wide from the resulting corner, but Albion could not muster a consolation on a hugely frustrating afternoon.
ALBION: Crocombe; Nsiala, Brayford (Kamwa, 68), Sweeney; Hamer, Oshilaja, Powell, Helm (Carayol, 57), Bola (Seddon, 57); Bennett (Hugill, 57), Ola-Adebomi (Hudlin, 57).
Substitutes: Blackman, Gilligan.
GOALS: NORTHAMPTON – Leonard (22), Pinnock (36)
Referee: Tom Reeves
Attendance: 3,953