Burton Albion 3 Stevenage Borough 1

Last updated : 08 October 2005 By Footymad Previewer
Burton Albion hauled themselves off the foot of the Conference table with only their second home win of the season against promotion hopefuls Stevenage Borough.

The Brewers turned the form book inside out with a three-goal blitz in the first 30 minutes and then clung determinedly to their lead.

Full-back Aaron Webster gave Burton a flying start with his fourth goal of the season in the fifth minute when he received Keith Gilroy's free-kick on the edge of the area and beat Alan Julian with a curling left-foot shot.

Then striker Jon Shaw took centre stage with two goals that were a tribute to his strength and determination as well as the accuracy of his finishing.

In the 12th minute Shaw raced on to Webster's pass and held off Barry Laker before beating Julian with a low shot from just inside the area.

Shaw struck again on the half-hour mark with Laker again exposed as the striker made the most of Andy Corbett's long ball forward to beat Julian with a superbly judged lob into the far corner from the angle of the penalty area.

Laker was immediately replaced and more changes at half-time by Graham Westley gave his side attacking impetus for the first time in the game.

Burton knew they had a fight on their hands when Anthony Elding superbly headed home Dino Maamria's cross from 15 yards in the 52nd minute.

But Burton defended resolutely for the next 20 minutes and for all their pressure, Stevenage could not find a way through to the second goal that would have given them hope of salvaging a point.

Instead, Burton could have widened their lead in the closing stages, but Andy Todd was denied what looked a certain penalty and Shaw missed out on his first hat-trick for the club when he fired tamely into the arms of Julian.