Alty break Albion's unbeaten run (From Messenger Newspapers)

Alty break Albion's unbeaten run

6:08pm Monday 26th January 2009

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BURTON ALBION 1 ALTRINCHAM 1 ALTRINCHAM put on one of their best performances of the season to end Burton Albion's record-breaking run of 12 successive league wins.

Despite only having 14 fit outfield players at his disposal - and losing one of those, Colin Little, to injury just eight minutes into the game - Altrincham manager Graham Heathcote's game plan worked to a tee against the league leaders.

Strikers Dale Johnson and substitute Joe O'Neill kept the Burton defence occupied while at the back Mark McGregor led the defence with another calm and faultless performance to keep out Burton's prolific strikers, Harrad and Pearson.

It was O'Neill, who has made only one league start this season following a summer injury, who drove home Alty's goal from outside the box, 24 minutes into the match.

Passing the ball well, Alty could have added to their lead before the break but, after the interval, Burton came out more strongly.

Just after having a ‘goal’ disallowed for offside, Albion levelled seven minutes into the second half when Harrad knocked in a shot from Marc Goodfellow which had been parried by Alty keeper Stuart Coburn.

Coburn made several fine saves to keep the scores level but Alty nearly took all three points at the end when Young's header forced a fine save from Burton's ex-League keeper, Kevin Poole.

The draw kept Altrincham 14th in the table at the end of a run of six away games out of their most recent seven league fixtures.

But the picture now changes as seven of the next nine games are at home and Altrincham will be looking to climb the table before a run-in which includes five tough away games in the last seven fixtures of the season.

ALTRINCHAM: Coburn; Lane, McGregor, Young, Doughty; Smith, Lawton, Densmore, Peyton; Johnson, Little. Subs: Denham, O'Neill, Ralph, Meechan, Hadfield.

BURTON: Poole, Webster, Simpson, James, McGrath, Corbett, Harrad, Goodfellow, Buxton, Pearson, Yates. Subs: Stride, Gilroy, Deeney, Austin, Morris

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