New Years Day preview

North Staffs Football kicks off the New Year with a full fixture list.

Stoke City look to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Fulham with another match at the Britannia against Everton.

Britannia Stadium

Tony Pulis has called for Jermaine Pennant to keep focused after signing a two-and-a-half-year deal from Spanish side Real Zaragoza.

David Moyes’s side are the visitors and boast just two wins away from Goodison Park, but the Toffees could prove hard to break down, having drawn six on their travels.

In League Two, Port Vale will have to put aside worries over Micky Adams departure as they travel to Yorkshire side Rotherham.

Rotherham would leapfrog Vale with a win, as Adams’s men look to bounce back from a second successive defeat to Gillingham on Boxing Day.

Burton Albion welcome play-off contenders Shrewsbury Town to the Pirelli Stadium. The Brewers have slipped down to 14^th and are in need of a win to boost their own play-off chances.

The Shrews are poor travellers for their league position and have notched just three wins.

In the Blue Square North, Stafford Rangers face a tough test at AFC Telford as Tim Flowers searches for his first league win at the helm.

Rangers sit 20^th and are desperate for a win to lift themselves out of the relegation spots, but having netted only twice on their travels so far this campaign the odds are certainly stacked against them.

In the Evo Stik Division One South, Kidsgrove Athletic and Leek Town battle out a North Staffordshire derby at the Seddon Stadium.

Grove will be hoping to push home advantage as they look to challenge for a top two finish this season, whilst Leek’s prerogative is merely survival. The Blues haven’t kicked a ball in anger since November 23.

Elsewhere, Newcastle Town travel to Market Drayton Town.

NSF predictions

Stoke City 1 Everton 1

Burton Albion 1 Shrewsbury 2

Rotherham 2 Port Vale 2

AFC Telford 3 Stafford Rangers 0

Kidsgrove Athletic 2 Leek Town 1

Market Drayton 1 Newcastle Town 3

Let North Staffs Football know your score predictions!

Burton Albion look to turn around away form

Burton Albion travel to Accrington Stanley tomorrow (December 18) looking for their second win away from the Pirelli Stadium this season, writes Sam Worth.

Manager Paul Peschisolido has been hampered with the news that centre-half Tony James, 34, will be sidelined for the festive fixtures with a hamstring injury picked up in training.

Peschisolido told Sky Sports: “Tony tweaked his hamstring last Friday which is why he wasn’t on the bench against Southend.

“Fortunately, Ryan Austin was fit enough to come back and he gave us the cover we needed.

“The timing of Ryan’s return was perfect from my point of view because Tony could be out for two weeks, possibly a bit longer.”

Paul Peschisolido

James has been playing a supporting role this season, with Darren Moore and Nathan Stanton making the positions their own.

Aaron Webster capped a convincing 3-1 victory over Southend last time out with a superb curling effort from thirty yards; which also marked Albion’s 100th goal in the football league.

Burton now sit twelfth in the Npower League Two table just four points behind Torquay United who currently occupy the final play-off spot. And if the Brewers are set about mounting a play-off push then their away form has to improve.

This weekend’s trip to 19th place Accrington Stanley could be tough; similar to Burton, Stanley’s away form is letting them down, but on their own soil they have only succumbed to defeat in two of their eight games.

Albion have taken 12 points from their last six games and a lot of thanks will be going to manager Peschisolido who joined in 2009.

Peschisolido ruled out the chances of a move to Championship outfit Sheffield United after Gary Speed’s departure this week.

The current Brewers’ boss made 102 appearances as a player for the Blades, scoring 23 goals between 2001 and 2003.

Burton Albion game passes initial pitch inspection

Burton Albion’s home game with Southend United has been given the go ahead after an initial pitch inspection, writes Jack Adams.

The fixture tomorrow (December 11) got the green light after a break in the recent bout of cold weather.

Pirelli Stadium

A statement released on the club’s official website said: “We have seen a significant thaw overnight and our ground staff will continue to work through the night to ensure that the pitch is playable tomorrow.”

If required, a further pitch inspection will take place at the Pirelli Stadium tomorrow morning.

Match Preview: Burton Albion vs Bury

Burton Albion play host to high flyers Bury at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday (Nov 20), writes James Hale.

Paul Peschisolido’s men will be hoping to build on their first away win of the campaign last week at Chesterfield, while the visitors have lost their last two league games and will be looking to bounce back.

The Brewers are still without veteran full-back Paul Boertien and striker Greg Pearson (ankle)
is also a major concern.

Pirelli Stadium

Bury also have injury concerns of their own. They are without striker Andy Bishop (tendinitis) and
goalkeeper Cameron Belford (broken leg).

This is only the fourth occasion in which the side have met and both will be looking for a win to start cementing a place near those lucrative play-off places.

Victory for Albion could see them rise to within touching distance of the play-offs, whilst victory for
the visitors could see them move into the automatic promotion places.

Kick-off is 3.00pm at the Pirelli Stadium.

North Staffs Football predicts: Burton Albion 2-1 Bury

Burton Albion through but Vale scrape late equaliser

Burton Albion and Port Vale have made into in the draw for the second-round of the FA Cup this weekend, writes North Staffs Football’s James Hale.

Aaron Webster struck late to secure victory for Burton Albion as they knocked out fellow League Two side Oxford United.

Left-back Webster met Scott Malone’s cross to power his header home five minutes from time.

His goal means the Brewers will now face Chesterfield at the Pirelli Stadium, game to be played over the weekend November 27/28.

Albion had the better of the first half, but the U’s defence stood strong, with Steve Kinniburgh clearing off the line from James Collins effort.

Pirelli Stadium

Webster was then introduced in the 70th minute and his header secured the victory.

Oxford had a great opportunity late on but Tom Craddock saw his shot deflected wide.

Burton boss Paul Peschisolido told BBC Sport of his delight at seeing hard work prevail.

He added: “The first half we showed patient build-up and played some great stuff.

“They put bodies behind the ball and we passed it for fun, created opportunities and were unfortunate not to hit the target.

“But I told the guys to keep patient and in the second-half all the hard work would pay off – and it did.”

Albion’s attention now switches back to League Two, and a weekend trip to Chesterfield as both side’s eye each other up ahead of their FA Cup clash in three weeks.

Meanwhile, Port Vale salvaged a late equaliser to earn a replay against non-league minnows Dartford.

Dartford opened the scoring in the 39th minute when Darts’ skipper Elliot Bradbrook slotted home past keeper Stuart Tomlinson.

This appeared to be the winner until the 85th minute when McCombe was on hand to bundle the ball over the line to deny Dartford a famous victory.

It was perhaps a harsh result on the home side who really took it to Micky Adams’s men, but Vale will breath a sigh of relief as the two sides will battle it out again at Vale Park.

The victors will then face a home tie against Accrington Stanley in the second-round of the competition.

For highlights of Vale’s trip to Kent click below:

Burton and Vale eye up FA Cup run

League Two football takes its eyes of the league this weekend, as Burton Albion and Port Vale look for their very own FA Cup success, writes North Staffs Football’s James Hale.

League 2 high flyers Port Vale travel to Princes Park this weekend to take on Blue Square Conference South side Dartford.

Port Vale

Dartford currently sit precariously above the drop zone in the Blue Square South Division, whilst in comparison visitors Port Vale are in the automatic promotion spots in League Two.

The Darts have overcome Canvey Island and Leiston to reach this stage of the competition and a sell out crowd is expected for Dartford’s biggest game in 21 years.

Vale have history in the competition themselves having previously reached the semi-final back in 1954, losing out to eventual winners West Bromwich Albion.

At the Pirelli Stadium, Paul Peschisolido’s Burton Albion welcome Oxford United on Sunday (Nov 7).

Burton Albion

The Brewers currently sit one place above their opponents in League Two and the two sides met on the opening day of the season, where they played out a goalless draw.

Burton Albion have never passed the Third Round of the competition, but visitors Oxford United reached the Sixth round of the competition back in 1964.

North Staffs Football predicts two close games as both sides eye up a lucrative tie in the Third Round draw.

Dartford 1 Port Vale 3

Burton Albion 2 Oxford 1

Let us know your score predictions.

Staffordshire derby ends in 0-0 stalemate

Port Vale and Burton Albion were made to share the points after a goalless draw at the Pirelli Stadium last night (Nov 2).

Vale headed into the game as favourites after completing a derby 2-1 win over Crewe Alexandra last weekend, but they couldn’t break down the stubborn Burton defence.

Burton Albion

Vale were without midfielder Anthony Griffith, who was suspended after seeing red in their match with Crewe.

And Micky Adams surprisingly handed a debut to Bradford loanee Jake Speight ahead of club captain Tommy Fraser.

Speight came close on four minutes but failed to meet Gary Robert’s ball across the box.

Burton found their feet after quarter-of-an-hour as Shaun Harrad causes the Vale defence problems.

Harrad glanced a Russell Penn cross wide before blasting a 20-yard shot over just before the half-hour mark.

Port Vale

The second-half was much of the same as both sides struggled to get a foothold in the game.

Burton had pot shots through Aaron Webster and Adam Bolder but both sailed over the crossbar.

Vale could have snatched three points at the end, but Doug Loft fired wide summing up a frustrating evening for both sides.

Burton Albion: Legzdins, Webster, Stanton, Moore (Corbett 73), Austin, Malone, McGrath, Penn, Bolder, Harrad, Collins (Pearson 60)

Subs not used: Poole, Gilroy, Phillips, Maghoma, Young

Port Vale: Tomlinson, Yates, McCombe, Owen, Collins, Loft, Roberts (Fraser 84), Dodds (Taylor), Justin Richards, Marc Richards, Speight (Rigg 57)

Subs not used: C Martin, Sutton, Davis, Morsy

Att. 4,027

Did you go to the game? Let North Staffs Football know your thoughts on the result.