Callum Wright scored for a third consecutive match as Cheltenham Town split the points with resilient Burton Albion in an entertaining clash at the Pirelli Stadium.

Wright’s smart finish from range to put the Robins in front had taken the wind out of Burton’s first-half sails, but they battled back tenaciously after the break and deservedly equalised through Lucas Akins.

The two sides had late chances to clinch victory but neither could find a winning goal in a contest that was hard-fought but lacking in attacking quality.

Both Burton and Cheltenham felt the loss of key players from their starting line-ups for this Friday evening fixture. Albion’s prolific striker Kane Hemmings is still yet to make an appearance this season due to a hamstring problem, while Cheltenham were without long-throw specialist Ben Tozer after the Robins skipper moved to non-league Wrexham earlier on Friday for a reported sum of £200,000.

Burton began on the front foot despite suffering an early blow of losing midfielder Michael Mancienne to a hamstring injury inside the first ten minutes.

Joe Powell was a livewire in the Brewers’ midfield during the opening exchanges, carving out a great opportunity for the onrushing Jonny Smith with a pinpoint long-range pass, although Matty Blair scrambled back for Cheltenham to clear the danger.

Minutes later, Powell forced Robins keeper Scott Flinders into an unconvincing save from his goal-bound free-kick – but these two attempts on the Cheltenham net proved to be a shot in the arm for the away side, who quickly retaliated in kind.

With the half-hour mark approaching, Chris Hussey swung in a tempting cross from the left flank which almost found the head of Sean Long at the far post, but the centre-back was beaten in the air by Burton’s John Brayford to keep the Robins at bay.

Callum Wright made the breakthrough for Cheltenham moments later with his third goal in as many games this season. An inswinging ball from Sean Long was deflected off the Burton backline before falling to Wright outside the penalty area, who teed it up and fired home in emphatic style.

The away side ended the first half in dominant fashion as Will Boyle headed narrowly over the bar from an Andy Williams cross, while Liam Sercombe’s shot from a tight angle was denied by Albion keeper Ben Garrett.

Burton rallied after the interval and nearly found the equaliser when Lucas Akins’ shot rustled the side-netting.

It was a warning of what was to come for the Robins, as Akins levelled the scoreline a short time later. A defensive blunder from Chris Hussey allowed the Brewers’ Jonny Smith to cut inside and clip a cross into the box, which was headed in by the veteran Albion winger at the far post.

Wright blazed a late attempt from the right flank narrowly over the bar after a short-corner, while Flinders blocked Ryan Leak’s strike to avoid a last-ditch winner.

The draw saw Burton go level on points with League One leaders Sheffield Wednesday, while Cheltenham remain in the bottom half of the table.

Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said:

“Good start.

“After Mancienne came off, not so good. We huffed and puffed. It was difficult, it was hard in the first half, but a lot better in the second. Not because we scored, but it was a lot better – better energy, better decisions, and we came in the final third more.”

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff said:

“I think we probably pinched a point. Without getting opened up, I don’t think we were great today. But we’ll take the point, we’ll take the positives. I think we looked like a team that’s done a lot of traveling.

“We need to be braver in certain areas of the pitch. We’ve gone up a level now… we can’t just keep tossing the ball away.

“I thought we started a little bit nervously… and then grew into the game. I think the goal was a really good goal.”

Teams and Player Ratings

Burton Albion: Garratt 7/10, Brayford (c) 7, Shaughnessy 6, Leak 7, Hamer 6, Mancienne 6, Borthwick-Jackson 6, Akins 7, Powell 8, Smith 6, Patrick 6

Subs: Morris (for Mancienne, 9′) 6, Rowe (for Morris, 85′) 6, Amadi-Holloway (for Patrick, 57′) 7

Subs not used: Balcombe, Blake-Tracy, Radcliffe, Williams

Cheltenham Town: Flinders 7, Freestone 7, Boyle (c) 7, Long 7, Hussey 6, Sercombe 6, Chapman 6, Wright 7, Blair 6, Williams 5, May 6

Subs: Lloyd (for Williams, 60′) 6, Perry (for May, 71′) 6, Thomas (for Wright, 83′) 6

Subs not used: Evans, Raglan, Bonds, Horton

Referee: Scott Oldham

Attendance: 2,909

Star Man: Joe Powell (Burton Albion)

words Toby Foster