Burton assistant manager John Dreyer believes Max Crocombe staked a claim to become the club’s first-choice goalkeeper after a superb performance in their goalless draw at Wycombe.
Crocombe, a summer signing from Grimsby, made his first start for Burton having replaced the injured Jamal Blackman from the bench during Tuesday night’s defeat at Shrewsbury.
The 30-year-old New Zealander made a succession of fine saves at Adams Park to earn his team their first point of the season at the fourth attempt.
Dreyer, speaking to the media after Brewers boss Dino Maamria was sent off following the final whistle for dissent, said: “He was terrific, I think, in his all-round game.
“His kicking was very good, he commanded his box, he gathered crosses and free-kicks, he made an outstanding point-blank save – I think he was offside coming from the left-hand side but he was fantastic.
“He really staked a claim for that No 1 shirt.
“We had to keep to a game plan, we had to stay solid and we knew at some point there would be a chance there, we played a patient game and we had some chances.
“Kwadwo Baah came on and had a couple of good touches and a really good chance fell to the skipper (John Brayford) late on that probably fell to his wrong foot but we still had chance among that solid team performance.”
Crocombe’s first chance to shine came after 16 minutes when he did brilliantly to tip away a stunning Sam Vokes volley that looked to have beaten him.
Wycombe stopper Max Stryjek then had to deny Mason Bennett an opening goal for Burton early in the second half before Crocombe thwarted the hosts again by saving well from Dale Taylor.
He then stood strong to keep out an admittedly offside Brandon Hanlan’s close-range effort before Brayford almost snatched it for the Brewers in stoppage time when he shot just wide.
Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield said: “I felt like in the first half we were obviously the team in the ascendency.
“We were playing the game we wanted to; we wanted to take the game to Burton and hit them early and I felt like we did that in the first half.
“Obviously, no two halves are ever the same and the game changed a bit second half – it was very disjointed in terms of all the breakages in play, which are supposedly getting cut out but obviously weren’t this afternoon.
“All the stoppages and waiting for long throws, and all the rest of it, but we have to be respectful of the point, we’re pleased with the point and we’re still growing and learning as a group.
“We missed a lot of pre-season so we’re still getting the group together.”
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life after Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life without Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Pirlo sacked as Sampdoria head coach after dismal Serie B start
Andrea Pirlo has been sacked as Sampdoria's head coach after just over a season at the helm.
Pirlo, who managed Juventus for the 2020-21 campaign, has been relieved of his duties after an underwhelming start to their Serie B season.
After finishing seventh in Italy's second tier last term, the 45-year-old was given the green light to try and return to Serie A at the second time of asking.
However, an opening day draw with Frosinone was followed up with back-to-back defeats to Reggiana and Salernitana, leaving them second-bottom in the division.
During his time in charge, Pirlo won 18 of his 45 matches in charge (D10 L17), averaging 1.42 points per game, a total only bettered by his time with Juventus (2.15).
Sampdoria return to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris this weekend in search of their first three points of the season, welcoming Bari to Genoa on Saturday.
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