The Insider: Burton can match any team in League One on their day ahead of Portsmouth clash

It was always a bit of an unknown for Burton after being relegated from the Championship..

There was an unknown in how they'd respond and they had a hangover for the first 6-8 weeks of the season.

They lost four of their opening five games and there was a bit of a concern regarding inconsistency.

They were up and down in the first half of the season. The Brewers played some really good stuff but were too easy to beat.

But Burton have only lost three times since Christmas and are on their best run of form now.

On their day, they can match any team in the division.

They play attacking football but the start of the season is what’s holding them back from a play-off push.

Burton are sat in the top 10 now and had an historic run to the League Cup semi-finals before being knocked out by Manchester City.

All in all, it can be regarded as a very good campaign after relegation.

In the final four games, they want to pick up as many wins as possible and keeping the momentum into the summer.

That would mean they could start a real promotion push come August.

The Brewers won their fifth game in the past seven against Scunthorpe on Saturday.

Nigel Clough admitted with that sort of run you’d expect to be closer to the play-offs but Doncaster have matched Burton’s form.

It comes down to the first half of the season. Clough has continuously referenced three games at home – defeats to Southend, Charlton and Gillingham.

They had about 70 shots across the three games and absolutely bossed them. Burton dropped nine points and that's probably going to cost them a play-off spot.

The players have said all season they can match any team in League One and they have a good record against the top sides.

Burton have taken four points off Sunderland, four off Barnsley, four off Doncaster and drew against Pompey in October.

In terms of who might win Player of the Season, it’s a tough one.

Lucas Akins is Mr Versatile and a huge fans’ favourite.

He’s played in pretty much every position this season – left-back, centre-back, midfield and up front!

Since he’s returned in attack, he's scored six goals in his past seven appearances and is a real handful.

Stephen Quinn arrived at the end of August and hadn’t really played for a couple of years at Reading because of injury.

He started training and, despite Clough not being sure how much he’d play, Quinn has been a virtual ever-present.

He's a calming influence and a classy operator in midfield.