United's excellent away form continued as they hit back to claim a point at the Pirelli Stadium this afternoon. Trailing to an Adam Bolder goal in the first half United grew stronger as the game wore on and levelled when Alfie Potter scored a superb individual goal to make it five games unbeaten on the road for the U's.

With Damian Batt suspended United shuffled Andy Whing to right-back and recalled Asa Hall to play the anchor man in a midfield three, but were behind after just 13 minutes. Ryan Clarke had already made one decent save and Whing two thunderous clearances before the Brewers made their early pressure tell as Andres Gurrieri cut the ball back after a short corner had initially been cleared for Adam Bolder, in too much space, to slot the ball past Clarke from ten yards out with a low drive.

Burton were good value for that lead with some nice movement in midfield where Lee Lucas was knitting things together well, and with the powerful Calvin Zola always a threat up front they had United penned back in the first quarter of the match. However from 25 minutes onwards United came increasingly into their own. Simon Heslop's looping effort on 37 was the visitors' first real sight at Ross Atkins' goal, but gradually the game was beginning to move more towards that end of the pitch. The in-form JP Pittman smashed in another effort which was bravely blocked by a defender on 42 minutes and the second quarter had been closer in terms of possession if still short on chances at either end.

Recognising the need for more goalmouth activity Chris Wilder threw on Oli Johnson up front at half-time and went for a fluid formation that was often 4-2-4. It almost paid dividends immediately as Potter drove across the keeper and forced Atkins into a low save to his right, but on 59 minutes Potter was not to be denied. There were two parts to the move really. First the elusive striker wriggled past two defenders on the right to complete phase one. Potter could have gone down as one of the defenders pulled him back but having stayed on his feet he still had more tricks up his sleeve. Two other defenders tried to stop him but he took them on, got a lucky break perhaps, and was in on goal. All his masterpiece needed was a signature to finish it off, and that came with a calm finish beyond Atkins to make it 1-1.

Now the dominant force in the game United saw Johnson charge through and force Atkins into another good save and then Constable flash a 59th-minute effort across goal as they poured forwards towards their own fans. There was an absolutely blatant handball inside the Burton area, but no penalty, and the game had by now been turned completely on its head. With Peter Leven and Simon Heslop getting through prodigious amounts of work in the middle of the park it allowed Johnson, Potter and Pittman (switching between midfield and attack depending on who had possession) to break beyond the tireless Constable as United went in search of a second goal.

Leven found the time and energy to throw himself full length at a Constable cross after 75 minutes but see his header thump into the midriff of the alert Atkins, Potter could only poke the ball tamely at Atkins after muscling beyond the last man, and Leven curled an 88th-minute free-kick just the wrong side of the near post as the boys in blue did all they could to complete their comeback.

In the end a winner was just beyond them but a point lifts them back into the play-offs and on the strength of the second half of this game there is plenty more excitement to come as the season heads towards its sharp end.

Att:  3,189

Away:  887

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