Brave Scarborough Athletic’s FA Cup run ended by narrow defeat at League One Burton Albion
Roared on by a huge army of travelling supporters, Boro exited the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat at League One side Burton Albion, but the players did the club proud with a battling performance against a side three divisions, and 61 places above them in the football pyramid.
The hosts dominated possession for long periods, but struggled to break down the outstanding Boro defence before finally snatching a goal midway through the second half to secure their first win of the season at the 15th attempt, writes Steve Adamson.
A carnival cup tie atmosphere greeted the teams at the superb Pirelli Stadium, and it was Burton who dictated play throughout the first half.
Costa Rica International midfielder Alejandro Bran burst into the box, but Boro keeper Ryan Whitley got down to save at his feet, Ryan Sweeney and Ben Whitfield both flashed shots wide, the pacy Romelle Donovan fired straight at Whitley, and Will Thornton kicked clear when Donovan played a ball across the goalmouth.
On 26 minutes Bailey Gooda was judged to have fouled Jack Cooper-Love as ran into the area. Cooper-Love placed the spot kick down the middle, but Whitley saved with his legs, with Alex Brown scrambling the rebound away.
Boro never tested home keeper Harry Isted. Dom Tear burst forward, but was tackled by Sweeney, then in their best move of the game on 37 minutes, Tear laid off to Alex Wiles to the right of goal, and his cut-back into the area was drilled narrowly wide by Kieran Weledji.
Boro were soon back in defence, Gooda hacked clear when Charlie Webster crossed into a crowded area, Whitfield fired past Whitley, but an offside flag spoiled his celebrations, then a cross from Dylan Williams on the left, curled towards the bottom right corner, but the excellent Whitley flung himself to the ground to tip the ball away. As the interval approached, Boro went forward, a Brown shot was blocked by Nick Akoto, and a Luca Colville free-kick was charged down by Bran.
Boro enjoyed more possession in the second half, but again failed to test the keeper. A Mackenzie Maltby 25-yarder deflected into Isted’s arms, and a low drive from Wiles was blocked by Williams.
For the hosts, Donovan had a shot blocked by Gooda and a superb tackle from Alex Purver halted a mazy dribble from Whitfield. Elliott Watt then passed to Whitfield on the edge of the box but Thornton’s strong challenge cleared the danger, and Maltby blocked a fierce Whitfield strike.
The superb Brown won possession and teed up Colville, whose cross was headed into the Burton keeper’s arms by Richie Bennett
The winning goal came on 69 minutes, when Webster and Danilo Orsi exchanged passes on the left, and the ball was played into the box to to Lithuanian winger Tomas Kalinauskas, who placed his shot into the bottom right corner.
Boro fought back, a long-throw from Brown was met by Weledji, whose back-header flashed narrowly wide, and Harry Green cut in from the right and was brought down, with Lewis Maloney firing the 22-yard free-kick against the top of the bar.
The hosts then went close, Orsi smashed a shot against the right-hand post, and in the last minute Kalinauskas blazed over.
BURTON - Isted, Watt(c), Sweeney, Webster, Akoto (Goodwin-Malife 54), Vancooten, Cooper-Love, Williams, Bran (Kalinauskas 54), Whitfield, Donovan (Orsi 64)
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Maltby, Thornton(c), Gooda (Maloney 76), Purver(Wilson 82), Wiles (Glynn 76), Bennett (Mulhern 76), Tear, Colville (Green 70)
REFEREE - Simon Mather
BURTON GOAL - Tomas Kalinauskas 69
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BURTON 11 (5 on target) BORO 6 (3 on target)
CORNERS - BURTON 6 BORO 2
OFFSIDES - BURTON 4 BORO 3
YELLOW CARDS - BURTON - Ryan Sweeney, Danilo Orsi, Dylan Williams; BORO - Richie Bennett, Frank Mulhern
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Ryan Whitley
ATTENDANCE - 3,066 (1,280 away)