27 August 2021

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink feels Burton lost momentum after early injury

27 August 2021

Burton boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink felt Michael Mancienne’s early injury affected his team in their 1-1 draw with Cheltenham.

Midfielder Mancienne went off after just nine minutes, with Albion then falling behind to Callum Wright’s strike in the 28th minute.

Hasselbaink’s side improved after the break and Lucas Akins’ close-range header midway through the second half earned Burton a point.

“We huffed and puffed after Mancienne came off,” Hasselbaink said.

“We started well and were on top and then with the injury we have to change. We lost a lot of momentum after he went off. Nevertheless it is disappointing that one long ball and they score.

“Second half we were more on top and we needed to create a little bit more but we got in good areas and I think we scored a really good goal and I think there was more in there for us but Cheltenham is a very difficult team to break down. Their organisation is really good.

“After the goal we couldn’t quite get them in enough trouble to get a second goal. We tried to force it by bringing Danny Rowe on but it wasn’t meant to be. We just need to work a little bit harder on the ball.

“We haven’t lost. We came back from losing and it’s a good point.”

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff was pleased to see his side claim a point.

“I think we probably pinched a point,” Duff said. “Without getting opened up I didn’t think we were great today but we will take the point and the positives.

“We looked like a team that has done a lot of travelling but tonight showed the togetherness. We need to be braver in certain areas of the pitch. We have gone up a level now. That is a game that we might edge 1-0 last year but we can’t keep tossing the ball away. Going up a level teams will open you up at the higher level and that is what they did.

“We started nervously and did the same thing and then grew into the game.”

Duff was full of praise for Wright, his on-loan Leicester midfielder whose third goal in as many league games gave his side the lead.

“He lands on things and it is a knack, an art,” Duff said.

“I don’t think you can coach it. Its reading the game and anticipating where the ball is going to drop and then having the technique to execute it.

“That’s two left-foot shots that have gone in the exact same spot in two games so it is no accident.”

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