Joe Powell gave Burton the lead but a Tom O’Connor own goal levelled for the Blues, leaving the scoreline 1-1 at half-time at the Pirelli Stadium.
Armando Dobra, Louie Barry and Janoi Donacien all started for the Blues as manager Paul Cook made three changes from the team which began last Saturday’s League One opener against Morecambe, which ended 2-2.
Toto Nsiala missed out having suffered a hamstring injury against the Shrimps, while Wes Burns iwas absent having also picked up a knock with the same likely to be the case for Conor Chaplin.
Barry played in the number 10 role with Dobra on the right and Scott Fraser on the left. Donacien replaced Nsiala alongside Luke Woolfenden at the centre of the defence.
New signing Kyle Edwards was among the subs but this week’s other addition Hayden Coulson was not included in the 18.
Bailey Clements, Idris El Mizouni and Corrie Ndaba were also on the bench having started the Carabao Cup tie against Newport in the week.
For Burton, Terry Taylor replaced injured one-time Town target Deji Oshilaja and Joe Powell came into the team for Jacob Maddox.
Prior to kick-off both teams and staff took a knee to applause from the two sets of supporters.
The game started at a frantic pace with Burton seeking to get the ball forward quickly. However, Town began to find some space to pass the ball and created their first opportunity in the ninth minute.
A cross was looped to Penney beyond the left post from where the former Sheffield Wednesday man hooked back across towards Joe Pigott who challenged with Burton keeper Ben Garratt and it was forced out of play.
In the 12th minute, Barry was sent away down the left as Town broke quickly but was flagged offside as he took it into the area.
On the quarter-hour, Taylor was shown the game’s first yellow card for a challenge on Dobra as the Albanian U21 international counter-attacked following a Brewers corner, referee Sam Purkiss having played the advantage when the tackle had been made.
Two minutes later, Powell struck two shots from the edge of the box which were blocked by Blues defenders with the home side having had the better of it overall.
And in the 19th minute they went in front. Following a quickly-taken free-kick on halfway on the left, Lucas Akins broke down the flank and cut inside for Powell, who was given time and space to shoot low past the advancing Vaclav Hladky.
The lead lasted only two minutes. Dobra was fouled on the left, skipper Lee Evans whipped in a ball to towards the near post and O’Connor headed past his own keeper under pressure from Pigott, subsequently claiming he’d been fouled by the Blues striker.
Burton were next to threaten, Taylor heading wide from an O’Connor cross from the left in the 28th minute.
The Brewers made their first change in the 40th minute with Taylor replaced by former Wolves man Michael Mancienne. Taylor had been booked early on for the foul on Dobra had had been spoken to by the referee shortly beforehand after the second of two fouls on Evans.
That was the last action of the half and Town could count themselves fortunate to be level at the break having scored a goal without managing a shot on target in the half.
The Blues had never really managed to get in control of a game played at a frenetic pace with the direct Brewers presenting the greater threat throughout and preventing Town from playing much fluent football.
The home side’s goal when it came was deserved, while Pigott’s pressure on O’Connor from Evans’s free-kick led to Town’s equaliser.
The game is likely to become more open the longer it progresses which should suit the Blues.
Burton: Garratt, Brayford (c), Powell, Akins, Smith, Patrick, O'Connor, Shaughnessy, Taylor (Mancienne 40), Leak, Hamer. Subs: Balcombe, Borthwick-Jackson, Bostwick, Blake-Tracy, Amadi-Holloway, Williams.
Town: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Donacien, Woolfenden, Penney, Harper, Evans (c), Fraser, Barry, Dobra, Pigott. Subs: Holy, Ndaba, Clements, El Mizouni, Edwards, Bonne, Jackson. Referee: Sam Purkiss (London).