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08 Sept 2025

Hasselbaink: Burton made a little step forward with thrilling draw at Accrington

Hasselbaink: Burton made a little step forward with thrilling draw at Accrington

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said Burton had made a “little step forward” after picking up their first point of the season in the thrilling 4-4 draw with Accrington despite letting a 3-0 lead slip.

Davis Keillor-Dunn scored a 10th-minute penalty and made it two on 17 minutes before tapping home at the far post on 50 minutes for his hat-trick.

Joe Pritchard’s 52nd-minute header and Sean McConville’s chip on 57 minutes got it back to 3-2 but Albion thought they had sealed their first win of the season when Gassan Ahadme fired home on 81 minutes.

However a Josh Woods header on 90 minutes followed by Rosaire Longelo’s 96th-minute equaliser following a goalmouth scramble rescued a point for the unbeaten home side.

“We were brilliant for the majority of the time,” said Burton boss Hasselbaink. “We knew coming here was going to be competitive but our strikers looked dangerous.

“It was a really good performance but, of the four goals against, three were poor, two were balls over the top which we should deal with, and the fourth was a high boot and the ref doesn’t give it, that’s a simple decision.

“Saying that, we need to work harder, nothing is going to be given to us, we have made a little step forward but there is a lot more work to be done.

“We have got to get out of the cycle we are in and put in more performances like we did in the first half and keep chipping away. When we are 2-0 up, we need to close the game out.”

Stanley manager John Coleman said: “We are an entertaining side, going forward we play some lovely football and created some great chances but conceded some poor goals from our point of view.

“Give credit to Burton, they came with a game plan, they pinned us in and, after the penalty, smothered us for a good half hour.

“I can’t remember us having a shot on target in the first half and I expect more at home.

“We were better in the second half, more on the front foot, but when they go 3-0 up you think that’s it. However we got a lifeline through Pritch and Sean and for 20 minutes we took the game to them.

“Then the goal to make it 4-2 you think it’s killed us but then we had a really good spell, we got our second wind and we battered them.

“For 4-3, it was a great header from Josh Woods. I am delighted for the lad to get his first league goal and then obviously the equaliser.

“I don’t think it’s ever acceptable to draw at home, whoever you play, but our fans have gone home delighted. It was bouncing.”

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