Gary Bowyer wants more from five-star Burton despite Northampton thumping

Head coach Gary Bowyer was staying grounded after Burton thrashed Northampton 5-1 in a Boxing Day bonanza at the Pirelli Stadium.

Jake Beesley’s third-minute penalty set Albion on their way after Kyran Lofthouse was upended before Jack Armer’s first for the club along with Max Dyche’s unfortunate own goal had Albion three up inside half an hour.

Tom Eaves reduced Town’s arrears but Tyrese Shade grabbed the first of two goals to restore Albion’s three-goal lead before the break, adding a second late on as Town laboured to the finish with 10 men after substitute Michael Forbes limped off with 10 minutes to play, with the Cobblers having already made five substitutions.

Bowyer said: “The outcome was decent and the result, certainly, and I am delighted we sent the supporters home having seen five goals. As for the actual performance I didn’t think we were that good.

“I’m a miserable so and so this time of year, as my wife will tell you, and I want more than just the five goals but if you give me that outcome for the remainder of the games, I will take that!

“When it went to 3-1, turned to Pat [Lyons] and said we needed a fourth goal and it’s a great ball from [Julian] Larsson to find Tyrese.

“We challenged him [Shade] in the week. He was on eight goals and we told him he needed to be in double figures before the end of the year. He has gone and done it straight away and I am delighted with that.”

Northampton boss Kevin Nolan was at a loss to explain another poor festive showing from the Cobblers, who have now not won on Boxing Day since 2016.

He said: “Boxing Days are getting worse. Last year it was 4-1 (against Reading) and this year it’s 5-1.

“It’s hugely disappointing and we let the fans down. I am not bothered about anything else. We had nearly a thousand fans here and we have let them down badly.

“Big apologies to them from me and my team, they sang their hearts out and we weren’t good enough. We didn’t compete and we made schoolboy errors. Really poor defending and really poor goals to concede.”

With another tough festive fixture at Huddersfield to come, Nolan knows a response is required.

He added: “We need to dust ourselves down for another game in 48 hours’ time where we need to give a better showing than we did today. We are all in it together and today just wasn’t good enough.”