Bolton Wanderers’ five-match unbeaten run at Macron Stadium came to a disappointing end when Lloyd Dyer’s first half volley gave Burton Albion all three points on Saturday afternoon
Wanderers were unable to find a way past Stephen Bywater in the Burton goal as they created enough chances to win the contest.
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Stephen Darby was named in the starting XI at the expense of Mark Little, who missed out with a back injury. Otherwise it was the same side that narrowly lost out to Nottingham Forest a week earlier as Phil Parkinson’s men aimed to fortify their unbeaten record on home soil.
FIRST HALF
Wanderers could have got themselves in front with barely a minute on the clock when Stephen Bywater was pressed into action to parry away a curling right footer from the in-form Will Buckley.
The home side seemed intent on getting their noses in front as soon as they could and Gary Madine was thwarted by a great tackle just as he was shaping up to shoot after a superb breakaway from Sammy Ameobi.
At the other end, Ben Alnwick had to be alert to keep out a Marvin Sordell header after Lloyd Dyer managed to squeeze in a decent cross from the far side.
But Wanderers responded positively and a superb overlapping run and cross into the box from Darby culminated in Karl Henry miss-hitting the ball.
Wanderers were controlling possession during the early exchanges with the visitors struggling to get to grips with the pace of the game.
Bywater kept out Buckley once again on 18 minutes when the Wanderers wideman latched onto to a loose ball which was comfortably gathered by the Brewers’ gloveman.
The visitors, though, showed they were more than capable of causing their own threats and Wanderers were grateful to Alnwick for keeping out a powerful drive from Dyer at the near post.
Nigel Clough’s men were getting more into the game and Wanderers didn’t display the energy they had shown earlier on.
Indeed, they got their noses in front completely out of the blue when Dyer unleashed an unstoppable left-footed volley that gave Alnwick no chance.
Chances didn’t come as freely as they did early in the game for Wanderers but Ameobi looked to be the most likely man in a white shirt to get the game back on an even footing for the hosts.
On 38 minutes he came in with his left foot and shaped up to get in a trademark strike only for Bywater to be alert to the threat.
SECOND HALF
Just as they started the game, Wanderers could have earned an equaliser within minutes of the restart. David Wheater was presented with a glorious chance to qualise when his header from a corner was somehow kept out by a scrambling Burton defence. The ball was still loose and again the visitors stoically defended to keep the follow up out.
The Wanderers boss made his first change just before the hour mark with Filipe Morais coming on for captain Darren Pratley.
Ameobi was inches after from a spectacular goal after playing a splendid one-two with Madine and drifting his left footer narrowly wide.
This was better from Wanderers but they still had plenty to do if they were to get back into the game and take the points.
Wanderers made another attacking substitution on 75 minutes with Craig Noone coming on for Darby.
Again, Bywater was the thorn in Ameobi’s side after the keeper got down low to keep out the striker’s drive.
With the minutes running out, Parkinson made his final substitution of the afternoon with Aaron Wilbraham coming on for Henry.
But despite Bolton's best efforts, they couldn't break the Brewers' rearguard and fell to defeat come the final whistle.
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