Hayden Carter enjoyed a dream debut for Burton Albion as they enjoyed victory for the first time in eight matches – and just a third time all season.

Carter scored what proved to be the only goal of the game with a neat first-time finish at Gillingham to hand the Brewers a priceless three points in their battle against survival.

The 21-year-old only signed for the Brewers three days prior to the game but was quickly thrown in from the start to try and arrest a run of form that had seen the Brewers lose their last four matches, conceding 19 goals.

They hadn’t kept a clean sheet all season, or won away from home, but courtesy of Carter’s 33rd minute goal, they achieved both of those at the Priestfield Stadium.

 

 

It was a first senior goal for Carter on what was just his fourth appearance, having started the final two matches of last season for Rovers, prior to a substitute appearance against Barnsley.

Tony Mowbray allowed Carter to boost his experience by sanctioning the loan move to the Brewers, with the defender making a promising start in what was just a second match in charge for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink after he returned to the Pirelli Stadium.

And the Dutchman said of his matchwinner: "He was very good and did what he needed to do, what was asked of him. It was not easy for him playing against two big strikers, but he and John-Joe O'Toole did well as a pair.

"The players have given me everything, the application has been great, they took things in board and now they have been rewarded."

"We need more clean sheets in the future but this gives us a platform to work from"