Burton Albion moved up to fourth in League One with a 4:1 victory over Wimbledon at their home ground on Tuesday evening. The result, following two wins and a draw in their opening four matches, keeps the hosts within touching distance of the playoff places. Wimbledon, meanwhile, remain in the bottom half after a frustrating afternoon that saw them take a surprise lead before collapsing.
Stockley opened the scoring in the 18th minute, catching the Burton defence sleeping. George Evans levelled six minutes later, and then came the moment that shifted everything: Alistair Smith turned the ball into his own net in the 34th minute. Charlie Webster restored the lead just after the break, and Caylon Vickers added a fourth in the 76th to put the game beyond doubt.
And here's the thing about Wimbledon's performance — they had more attacks, 102 to 67, and created two big chances against Burton's one. By then, however, the scoreline told a different story. Shots accuracy was the real divider: 50 per cent for Burton, 21 per cent for the visitors. Four shots on target from nine attempts is not enough when you concede an own goal and fail to capitalise on your opportunities.
The substitutions came thick and fast in the second half. Donnell McNeilly, Zack Nelson and Dan Sweeney all came on together for Burton in the 61st minute, while George Evans and Will Collar were replaced shortly after. Wimbledon brought on Caylon Vickers in the 81st minute before Jack Armer and Kyran Lofthouse were paired together at the end.
Both sides picked up yellow cards, Andy Yiadom and Jack Armer between them. Burton made 432 passes with 335 successful, while Wimbledon completed 330 of their 413 attempts. The statistics show possession was even at 50 per cent, but the quality of those passes separated the teams.
For Burton, the result extends a run that includes a win against Leicester and a draw at Stevenage. Wimbledon's form has been inconsistent — a victory over Wigan followed by defeats to Fulham and Huddersfield. The gap between them now stands at three points in the table.
