Clough hails win over Coventry ‘our best result of the season’

Burton boss Nigel Clough was “thrilled” to see his side pick up the three points from a tight game against in-form Coventry, describing the 1-0 win as their best result of the season.

The only goal of the game at the Pirelli Stadium came in the 62nd minute when David Templeton’s free-kick went in off Coventry midfielder Tom Bayliss.

Burton’s victory comes on the back of successive defeats in the Checkatrade Trophy and FA Cup, and left Clough a happy man.

He said: “We are thrilled with the way we played and the victory.

“I think that is our best result of the season. Given all of the circumstances, how good the opposition were, how hard we had to work off the back of a defeat last week and with five or six players missing it was a wonderful team performance today.

“It was a great game and for us a great clean sheet too.

“Everybody did their jobs today, especially the back four and the goalkeeper. It was good because of the threats that they pose.

“They nearly caught us on the break a few times and they are very solid and organised. They have got legs in the middle that can counter very quickly and we knew that would be a major threat from them today.”

The first half had chances for both sides and Clough knew his team might have to bide their time, although they nearly took the lead through Templeton straight after half-time.

They eventually made the breakthrough just after the hour-mark before holding on for a win that leaves them 13th in the League One standings, four points behind ninth-placed Coventry.

Clough added: “We had to be patient today. It can be frustrating at times but we just had to try and wear them down.

“You are never unhappy coming in 0-0 at half time against a good side but we set the tone really well after half-time and could have scored two or three in the first five minutes.

“Then it’s a great free-kick from Temps, nicks off somebody and goes in the far post.  I thought we deserved that bit of luck today because of the chances we created.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins reflected on a first defeat in seven league games but acknowledged that his young City side had come up against some quality opposition.

“Burton are a good team,” he said. “They have moved the ball really well and on the whole we have coped with that well but then in the first half we have broken well and didn’t take chances.

“We have had three or four where the goalkeeper has made some good saves, decent saves and we have also made some poor choices in terms of passing but we looked a threat and kept their chances down to a minimum.

“Burton have some good quality. They have come down from the Championship and they have moved us around probably better than any other team has done this season, but once we have done our bit defensively we have got to work up the field and we didn’t quite do that well enough today.

“We got through a sticky spell in the first 15 minutes of the second half but then conceded an own goal and the disappointment is we couldn’t get back into it.”