Sam Dalby continued his resurgence with a deadly double to propel Wanderers to another dramatic late win, writes Pete Oliver.
After Mason Burstow’s stoppage-time winner on Saturday, strike partner Dalby repeated the dose as his poacher’s finish in the 93th-minute made it three victories in four games for Steven Schumacher’s men to stay with the pace in the promotion race.
Having earlier given Wanderers the lead, Dalby claimed his first double in a Whites’ shirt and after again leading the line in impressive fashion the summer signing can now lay claim to seven goals so far in a rapidly improving season.
Both goals were forced home inside the six-yard box in predatory fashion and after Burton had threatened to go home with a point thanks to Jack Armer’s equaliser, Dalby’s last-gasp intervention meant never-say-die Wanderers remain third in the League One table after all bar one of the top six picked up maximum points.
With injuries starting to bite and Wanderers into their eighth game of the month, Schumacher had made four changes to his starting line-up, without being able to involve Corey Taylor-Blackett following the winger’s arrival earlier in the day.
The Whites were lacking their usual attacking width, although it was wing-back Max Conway who created the first opening after a sterile opening 25 minutes.
Dalby – who spurned one early chance to run at goal – did well to lay the ball off to Conway to release Kyle Dempsey with an excellent threaded pass. Dempsey did everything right in jinking back inside the last defender but then couldn’t beat goalkeeper Bradley Collins who was out quickly to make decent block.
That sparked the contest into life and Burton, who had looked more than comfortable, threatened twice around the half-hour with JJ McKiernan hooking a volley wide and Kain Adom then firing into the side netting on the break, an effort he repeated in the final minute of the first half.
But the best chance to lead at the break came Wanderers’ way courtesy of two bites at the cherry for George Johnston. Aaron Morley – starting a first league game since November – delivered a deep cross Johnston couldn’t convert at the back post or direct towards a colleague. And when the ball bounced back to him, the defender again missed the target from inside the six-yard box.
As at the weekend Wanderers needed a lift at the start of the second half and while they didn’t strike quite as early as in the win over Leyton Orient, it still took them less than five minutes to go in front.
Dalby had already flashed one teasing delivery across the face of goal when he flicked the ball on for John McAtee to burst into the box. McAtee’s low drive hit the foot of a post and with Collins unable to grab the loose ball, Dalby got there first to bundle the ball home.
Wanderers suddenly looked a threat and lovely combination between McAtee and Dempsey almost led to a second goal as Dempsey again cleverly worked the opening before denied once more by Collins.
The fragility of the lead was then underlined when McKiernan hit the inside of a post for the visitors as they battled to aid their fight against the drop and with 20 minutes to the Brewers levelled.
Substitute Sebastian Revan forced a corner at the end of an excellent run and in the middle of packed penalty area defender Armer was able to meet the delivery with a downward header which bounced in off the post with virtually his last touch before being substituted .
Minutes later that triggered a treble change from Schumacher as the Whites looked to regain the initiative with wingers Thierry Gale and Ibrahim Cissoko thrown on along with centre-forward Mason Burstow.
Nothing would quite click, though, until the dramatic finish in injury time. A bout of cramp for Ethan Erhahon had contributed to seven minutes of added time and three minutes in the midfielder did well to swing a leg and release Gale.
Gale’s curling cross just eluded Dalby but was kept alive by Cissoko. He found fellow substitute Jordi Osei-Tutu and when he cut in and shot, Collins could only parry his effort and again Dalby was alert enough to pounce on the rebound and score another priceless late goal.
Wanderers: Bonham; Toal, Forino, Johnston; Christie (Osei-Tutu 65), Morley (Simons 80), Erhahon, Conway (Gale 76); Dempsey (Cissoko 76), McAtee (Burstow 76); Dalby. Substitutes: Harrington, Temple.
Booked: Christie, Osei-Tutu
Burton Albion: Collins; Godwin-Malife, Vancooten (Hartridge 61), Sibbick; Lofthouse, Chauke, Williams, Armer (Larsson 71); Beesley, McKiernan (Revan 61); Adom (Shade 71). Substitutes: Dudek, Shade, Tavares, Krubally.
Booked: Godwin-Malife
Referee: Thomas Parsons
Attendance: 18,820 (158 away)