THERE'S an old saying that when someone's had a mishap, they've gone for a Burton.

But it took some brave challenges, not to mention some brave decisions, to get Accrington Stanley out of the mire and prevent that from happening on Saturday.

Stanley had stuck with the 4-4-2 formation which had served them so well in their midweek 3-0 win over Tamworth, but Aaron Webster's 48th minute body blow of an opener changed manager John Coleman's mindset and he moved quickly to make the Reds a stronger attacking threat.

The balance of the side didn't change, but when Lutel James was replaced by Dean Calcutt, it gave loan signing Lee McEvilly the chance to impress up front.

McEvilly is unfamiliar with the right midfield role he was handed by Stanley on arriving from Rochdale. But the fiery 22-year-old has shown his willingness to make an impression in his one-month spell and, in the first half, demonstrated his strength on numerous occasions with his forward bursts.

His most notable run was made midway inside the opening period when he ghosted past Darren Wassall then covering defender Terry Henshaw, riding the token challenges they made on him before seeing his low shot drift just wide of the right hand post.

So when James went off, McEvilly knew this was his chance to make a real impact in his rightful position.

Stanley immediately looked livelier, with Prendergast seeing his low drive palmed round the post by Matt Duke after cutting inside from the left.

But they still looked susceptible when Burton broke on the counter attack and it took a brave challenge from Cavanagh to prevent lively striker Dale Anderson with a gilt-edged opportunity to make it 2-0 before McEvilly fired in the equaliser with a bullet header eight minutes from time.

Why the Reds had got to a stage where they were chasing the game was something of a mystery after a promising first half.

The early departure of Andy Procter was a disruption. The midfielder came off the worst following a sixth-minute challenge with Robbie Talbot, for which he was also booked for his trouble after treatment.

Procter managed a further five minutes before limping off with a knee injury and being replaced by Ged Brannan in a straight swap.

Once Stanley settled again, Paul Mullin and James showed their good understanding up front, with James being halted by Darren Stride's solid tackle as he raced on to his strike partner's flick on. McEvilly then missed the target with a low shot, after Jon Howard had missed an empty net when Jon Kennedy had raced out of his area to head the ball away.

Then, after Anderson drilled a shot wide from just six yards, Brannan thumped a header against the post from James' cross before Mullin headed well wide following good link-up play between James and Paul Howarth.

With the final chance of the half, Mullin nodded just over from Howarth's perfectly weighted free kick.

But the Reds were on the back foot just two minutes into the second period. Craig Dudley fired over a corner and Webster rose unchallenged at the far post to thump a header past the rooted Kennedy.

Things almost went from bad to worse when Anderson was allowed to race forward despite being clearly offside, but Cavanagh did well to track back and, just as Anderson was about to pull the trigger, launched himself into a challenge.

It was a make or break tackle for the full back, but he timed it to perfection, denying Anderson and leaving him in a heap in the process.

Rory Prendergast went close to equalising as he cut inside from the left but Duke palmed his shot round the post.

Substitute Andy Corbett looked set to increase Burton's lead when he chested down Webster's cross but skied his volley from 12 yards.

Nigel Clough's side continued to press and Stanley's blushes were spared when Anderson was allowed to race well clear, gaining at least three yards on the defence, but thankfully he touched the ball too far towards the advancing Kennedy, who smothered it before making a brave block with his legs as Stride burst into the box soon afterwards.

Coleman had one more trick up his sleeve and, after Mullin tested the keeper with his 15-yard shot, proved Stanley weren't giving up without a fight when he brought on John Durnin for Howarth to establish a 3-4-3 formation.

And it was worth the risk as Cavanagh floated a high ball into the box and McEvilly powered a header into the top of the net to snatch an important point.

BURTON ALBION 1

Webster 47

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1

McEvilly 82

Eton Park Att: 1,614

PLAYER RATINGS

JON KENNEDY Recovered from first-half hesitancy to make some good and important blocks after the break 8

PAUL HOWARTH Always spots a pass and picked out team-mates with precision diagonal balls and crosses into box 8

JONATHAN SMITH Got forward on a couple of occasions and won numerous important headers at the back 7

ROBBIE WILLIAMS Contained striker Dale Anderson. Concentration went astray for a brief spell after the break but, on the whole, did well 7

PETER CAVANAGH Harshly booked for a trip on winger Craig Dudley early in the first half but was never afraid to go in for firm challenges and made goal-saving tackle on Anderson 8

LEE McEVILLY Harrassed and harried marker and defenders in his efforts to get forward. Wasn't intimidated by Nigel Clough and deserved his goal 8

ANDY PROCTER Limped off after seven minutes after challenge for which he was booked

STEVE FLITCROFT Showed his determination and hunger as he hunted the ball down - even lost causes - throughout the game 8

RORY PRENDERGAST Fired in some dangerous balls in both halves but no-one could convert them 7

LUTEL JAMES Showed an abundance of tricks and made good runs but frustrated with his lack of conviction going for 50-50 balls. Was withdrawn so McEvilly could move into attack 7

PAUL MULLIN Went close with a couple of headers and, not for the first time, didn't get enough protection from the referee 7

SUBS:

GED BRANNAN (for Procter 11) 8,

DEAN CALCUTT (for James 50) 6,

JOHN DURNIN (for Howarth 75) 6.

SUBS NOT USED: JAMIE SPEARE, STEVE HOLLIS

BURTON

MATT DUKE 7

TERRY HENSHAW 6

DARREN STRIDE 7

DARREN WASSALL 7

AARON WEBSTER 8

CRAIG DUDLEY 7

SAM McMAHON 6

JON HOWARD 6

NIGEL CLOUGH 7

DALE ANDERSON 8

ROBBIE TALBOT 7

SUBS:

ANDY CORBETT (for Talbot 64) 6

SUBS NOT USED: IAN WRIGHT, DAN ROBINSON, SEAN GUMMER, STEVE CHETTLE.