Manchesterfootball.info pays a visit to Gresty Road to watch Sky Bet League One’s form team Burton Albion overcome Crewe Alexandra
CREWE ALEXANDRA 0, BURTON ALBION 3
Kane Hemmings’ first-half hat-trick ensured Burton Albion’s great revival under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink continued with a sixth straight victory.
The striker’s treble, scored inside 24 first-half minutes, helped the Brewers make it nine wins from 11 Sky Bet League One matches since the Dutchman took charge.
Hasselbaink made seven transfer window signings in January and they have helped transform their fortunes as this was also a sixth straight away win.
When Hasselbaink sat in the stand with a watching brief for the 5-1 home defeat by Oxford United on January 2, the Brewers were bottom and eight points from safety. They had won only two of their first 21 league matches, a dire statistic.
It looked a herculean job confronting Hasselbaink to stave off the threat of relegation. However, two-and-a-half months later and the Brewers are seven points clear of the bottom four.
Hasselbaink said: “Today it was a brilliant execution and a brilliant game, but the most important thing was the result.
“You also want a performance and that it what we got.
“I was pleased that we didn’t sit back when we were 3-0 ahead. We kept a high line and continued to press and could have scored more goals.”
And of how quickly Hasselbaink has transformed the team, he said: “You need things to go for you, but it has come together quickly and I am pleased.
“The boys have done exceptionally well but there is still a lot of work to do. But it would be crazy if I was not happy with the way things have gone.”
While the Brewers are upwardly mobile, Crewe are on the slide as two wins from eight league games has dented their promotion play-off hopes.
Hemmings opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Crewe failed to clear a Tom Hamer long throw and the striker, anticipating where the ball would drop, looped in a far post shot.
Former Railwaymen goalkeeper Ben Garrett made a great reflex save to deny Luke Murphy before the visitors doubled their lead midway through the half.
Hemmings latched on to a through ball and bustled past Omar Beccles to slot the ball low past goalkeeper Dave Richards.
Crewe carelessly gave away the ball in midfield as Hemmings again burst clear before finding the net with another low shot, his 13th goal of the season.
“I am made up and lost for words,” said Hemmings. “I am a local lad and this is only the seventh hat-trick in the history of the club.
“I have not been involved in a side that has won six successive wins and six consecutive away wins, which is all credit to the lads for the effort they have put in.
“There is still a long way to go and we are still improving.”
Garrett made decent saves either side of half time to deny Ryan Wintle, Tom Lowery and Sean Clare to ensure Burton maintained their three-goal cushion.
The second half fizzled out as a contest as Burton were rarely troubled and Crewe, despite making four changes, were unable to make inroads into the deficit.