05 December 2020

Burton boss Jake Buxton satisfied with point against Crewe

05 December 2020

Burton boss Jake Buxton was the happier of the two managers as his side extended their unbeaten run to three games with a 1-1 draw against Crewe.

A tight game was settled by two goals in the final quarter of an hour, with Sam Hughes looking to have won it for Albion when he headed home Joe Powell’s corner, only for Owen Dale to deny Albion all three points with a spectacular late equaliser.

“The positive is we are now three unbeaten,” Buxton said. “We defended well again, we looked together and we worked hard. We didn’t make the most of our counter-attacking opportunities, but all-in-all it is a good point because of the amount of passes and possession that Crewe had.”

A clean sheet continues to prove elusive for Albion this season and they were just two minutes away from one against the Railwaymen.

Buxton added: “We are disappointed with the timing of conceding the goal after getting our noses in front, which was the same at Sunderland on Tuesday. We have to take positives from the game, though, and making it three games unbeaten.

“It has taken an overhead kick of high quality to score against us today.

“The lads are defending well and (Michael) Bostwick and Hughes are getting a partnership together at the back now and we are looking a lot more solid in there, along with Kieran O’Hara in goal and the two full-backs. That clean sheet will come if we continue doing the right things.”

Crewe boss David Artell was thankful to a piece of magic from the lively Dale to grab what he felt was a more-than-deserved point, but was critical of his side’s first-half performance.

“I told the lads at half-time that I was bored,” said Artell. “It was like a training game, just a passing exercise.

“We controlled the game. Great. I want us to be entertainers, to go and score a goal. It didn’t look like we were trying to score in the first half. It’s not about possession. They were comfortable and we weren’t looking in any real danger.”

Artell was much happier after the break, though.

“We were far better second half and I thought we deserved to go on and win the game,” he said.

“We have conceded a terrible goal from the set-piece but then it’s a bit of magic that gets us a point. A bit more than magic to be honest. It’s proper magic, but overall we’re quite disappointed with how the game went.

“It’s the second game on the spin where that has happened, where the second half is much better, and that has got to be addressed.

“We weren’t poor in the first half, but we just didn’t have any drive to win the game.”

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox