Clough hopes for Burton boost after cup upset

Posted Wednesday, August 29, 2018 by PA

Nigel Clough hopes his Burton side can grow in confidence after causing a Carabao Cup second-round shock by dumping out Championship side Aston Villa.

Albion won 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium courtesy of Liam Boyce’s 52nd-minute strike.

“I hope the confidence will come from that performance and victory tonight,” said Clough.

“I thought we just about deserved it against a strong Aston Villa side. We are a bit disappointed that we didn’t go and get that second goal with the situations and opportunities that we had.”

Clough was forced to use all of his substitutions in the first half – including giving a debut to substitute keeper Harry Campbell, who excelled himself with an 89th-minute penalty save to deny Albert Adomah after Kyle McFadzean was sent off for handball on the goal line.

“We had to make all three of our substitutions by half-time and we lost Jake Buxton before the game – all in all it’s been a very memorable evening in the end,” said Clough.

“To make a penalty save on your debut makes it a brilliant evening for Harry. He’s young, like a few of them out there tonight, and the only way they can get experience is by being out there.

“We had three academy lads out there and its been a great night for the club.”

Steve Bruce did not hold back in the criticism of his side as they slumped out with a whimper, barely mustering a chance to trouble Burton’s keepers.

“You could use the word embarrassing about that performance,” said a seething Bruce.

“We got away with it against Yeovil in the first round and some of the players have been knocking down my door for the last two or three weeks and all you can say is that we got what we deserved, which was nothing.

“The way we played and went about it was chalk and cheese from Saturday. I take the responsibility for changing the whole team, because the ones who have been knocking down my door had their opportunity tonight and it’s fair to say that they haven’t grasped it, that’s for sure.

“Fair play to Burton, they got behind the ball extremely well, but I’m not going to make excuses. We were awful, absolutely hopeless, and we have to take it on the chin and accept the consequences.”

Not even the late lifeline of Adomah’s penalty could save Bruce’s side as his poor effort was easily saved, and Bruce admitted it was a fair representation of his side’s performance on the night.

“I didn’t think we deserved to lose the match – however, we didn’t deserve after our performance to get out of jail,” he said.

“The penalty summed the whole night up which was disappointing.”