Lucas Akins netted an 86th-minute penalty to see Burton Albion to a 2-1 victory over the Blues, for whom Scott Fraser had missed an earlier spot-kick, at the Pirelli Stadium. Joe Powell gave Burton the lead on 19 but a Tom O’Connor own goal three minutes later levelled for the Blues. Town were better after the break but Fraser missed from the spot in the 57th minute and sub Kyle Edwards hit the bar, before Akins made no mistake for the Brewers.
Louie Barry, Armando Dobra 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 was 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 Fraser on the left. Donacien replaced Nsiala alongside Luke Woolfenden at the centre of the defence.
New signing 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 three 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.
Town were first to threaten after the break in the 49th minute. Fraser sent Kane Vincent-Young away down the right then picked up the ball after the former Colchester man had been challenged. Fraser took the ball on on the right of the area but crossed into keeper Garratt’s arms.
On 52 a long thrown from the right was allowed to bounce in the area before Vincent-Young was able to head clear.
But Town were beginning to get on top and in the 56th minute Fraser threaded in Rekeem Harper on the right of the box and his cross was diverted over by a defender.
And following the flag-kick, the Blues won a penalty. The ball had been played back across from the right and Barry took it past O’Connor, who sent him tumbling. Referee Purkiss pointed straight to the spot and booked the defender.
Ex-Brewer Fraser took the kick and after a pause and a stutter in his run-up hit his shot low to Garratt’s right and the keeper saved. Dobra tried to make something of it from a tight angle but the ball was bundled behind.
The game was increasingly open and on 64 Matt Penney sent over a dangerous cross from the left which Ryan Leak somehow put over his bar when it looked more likely he would put past his own keeper.
A minute later, Town swapped Dobra, who again had presented the Blues’ main attacking threat, for Macauley Bonne and Barry, who did well to win the penalty but was otherwise quiet, for debutant Edwards.
The new signing quickly made an impression, taking the ball in a stride from the left before smashing a 25-yard strike which slammed off the underside of the bar but bounced away from goal.
Conor O’Shaughnessy head over for the home side in the 72nd minute, then Harper slipped over as he shot from the edge of the box at the other end.
On 79 Town boss Paul Cook was booked for a clash with Tom Hamer as the Burton man tried to get the ball to take a throw. Cook and his Burton counterpart exchanged smiles and a hug before referee Purkiss issued the card.
Two minutes later, Harper headed over from a tight angle on the left from a Fraser free-kick from the opposite flank.
The Blues were finishing the game on top. On 84 Edwards played a clever ball through for Fraser but the Scot’s first touch let him down.
A minute later, Burton were awarded a penalty. The Brewers had broken down the left and then across the area to Powell, who was tripped by Penney as he chased back into the box.
Akins succeeded where Fraser had failed finding the net to Hladky’s left as the keeper dived to the right.
Leak headed well wide from a corner on 89, then at the other end an Edwards strike deflected wide as the fourth official’s board indicated four additional minutes.
Moments later, Harper curled a shot into Garratt’s arms after more good work from Edwards.
Mancienne was booked for a foul on Evans, having been lucky to avoid a card for an earlier studs-high challenge on Harper.
Following the free-kick, Edwards crossed from the right and Woolfenden saw a header blocked.
Town were still pushing as the whistle confirmed their first ever defeat to Burton and their first loss at the Pirelli Stadium.
Having been second best in the first half, the Blues were better in the second half but without seriously threatening until Fraser’s missed penalty.
Edwards, who was very lively in his time on the field, was unfortunate with his strike off his bar before more of the defending which has characterised the first week of the season led to Akins’s penalty and Burton’s winner.
The Blues visit Cheltenham, who lost 3-1 at home to Wycombe today, on Tuesday still looking for their first victory of the season.
Burton: Garratt, Brayford (c), Powell, Akins, Smith (Bostwick 88), Patrick, O'Connor, Shaughnessy, Taylor (Mancienne 40), Leak, Hamer. Unused: Balcombe, Borthwick-Jackson, Blake-Tracy, Amadi-Holloway, Williams.
Town: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Donacien, Woolfenden, Penney, Harper, Evans (c), Fraser, Barry (Edwards 65), Dobra (Bonne 65), Pigott. Unused: Holy, Ndaba, Clements, El Mizouni, Jackson. Referee: Sam Purkiss (London). Att 3,766 (Town: 1,400).