VENUE #48 BURTON ALBION The Pirelli Stadium

SKY BET LEAGUE TWO

Burton Albion... 1

Plymouth Argyle... 0

Saturday 5th April 2014

@ The Pirelli Stadium

       Burton-On-Trent

     My son Ross picked out Burton's Pirelli ground for a visit last season but I'd already been to see a league two game and so decided to go the short distance into Derbyshire this time around.  They have there advantages these short trips, not costing much money is one and being home for half past six is another.

   

Front of the main stand

 It's a fare old walk to the ground from the railway station, a good twenty five minutes give or take a couple.  I passed a few pubs on route and was very tempted to pop in and try some of the famous Burton ale everyone raves about but resisted the temptation like a good little boy, I'm sure the Wife will be pleased to hear.  A female motorist pulled over and called to me as I was hurtling along my merry way, I out-stretched my arms in a manner to suggest that it's no use asking me directions as I'm new to this area also, but then she said, "Do you know the way to the railway station?" and I said, "Ah yes, I've just come from there", but whether she understood my directions of not is another thing, she did look more bewildered than before she asked me, poor sole.

Players lining up before shaking hands

     Burton go into this game lying in 5th place in the league table and looking to consolidate their play-off place with a win today.  Manager Gary Rowett makes two changes to the side that took a goalless point from York City last weekend, Jimmy Phillips steps in for Phil Edwards and Gary Alexander partners Billy Kee up front instead of Adam McGurk.

     This is Plymouth's first game in eleven days when they were defeated 2-1 at Home park by near neighbours and relegation strugglers Exeter City and that makes it three games without a win now for the Pilgrims.  Argyle are currently 9th in league two and desperately need a win today to keep any hopes alive of reaching the play-off's.  John Sheridan makes three changes to his team, Paul Wotton, Matthew Parsons and Tope Obadeyi who returned to Bury after his loan spell ended, are replaced by Durrell Berry, Ben Purrington and Enoch Showumni who makes his debut after being loaned out by Notts County for the rest of the season.

     It was a tentative start and Burton seemed obsessed with keeping the ball in the air and playing to Argyle's strengths as the Devonshire side have a number of tall players but they did get their act together after ten minutes and started to keep the ball on the floor and play some wonderful football especially in the midfield.  They almost made it pay when a shot on the turn by Billy Kee was tipped onto the top of the net by the Argyle keeper Jake Cole. 

     Cole was busy again minutes later when he finger tipped a fierce shot from Jimmy Phillips onto the post and stopped an almost certain opening goal for the home side.  Burton were starting to dominate while Plymouth were showing cracks in their armour and it was defensive frailties of the Pilgrims that gave the Brewers the opportunity to score the goal, Neal Trotman made a pass to Luke Young but the Argyle midfielder fell over and the ball was pounced upon by Matty Palmer who's shot was blocked by Trotman but rebounded outside the Argyle penalty area to Callum McFadzean to drill past Cole into the bottom corner in the 27th minute.

      Six minutes later and it was nearly 2-0 when Trotman committed a foul about 30 yards outside the Argyle penalty area and the free kick was blasted goalwards by Damien McCrory but the ball was pushed onto the bar by the busy Jake Cole who also denied Cole in the dying minutes of the half.

     In the second half Burton sat back and defended their narrow 1-0 lead, Plymouth came close a few times to levelling the game but couldn't find that golden final touch that was needed.  It's no wonder that Burton have won 1-0 so many times this season, they must have rode their luck on many occasions.

West stand.  Part of the concrete shell

     The Pirelli Stadium as a 6,912 capacity with just over 2,000 seated.  It was built in 2005 to replace their Eton Park ground which had been their home for 47 years.  The main stand looks quite impressive and is where I watched the game from, with it's black coloured plastic seats with some painted yellow to form the words Burton Albion, it looks clean and new as you would expect from a ground that's only nine years old.  The other parts of the ground are covered terracing that looks a bit like a plain concrete shell.  There is the Popular terrace that is opposite the main stand and the two ends behind the goal are the West and the East terraces.  The East terrace is to the left of the main stand as you look at it and houses the away fans as does the left quarter of the main stand. 

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