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Burton Albion’s players were left feeling ‘sick and down-hearted’ after being cruelly denied more Championship points against Aston Villa, Nigel Clough claimed.

The Brewers boss said that his side were the better team and felt they created the most clear-cut chances.

He also insisted that Tom Naylor was wrongly denied a stoppage-time penalty after a collision with the Villa backline in the closing stages.

“It should have been three points today, not even a draw,” said Clough.

“We forced their goalkeeper into a couple of saves, two very good ones, and we think we’ve got a very good shout for a penalty, AGAIN, in the last minute.

“Tom Naylor got taken out and we’ve now had one penalty in 46 games. It’s unfortunate.”

Steve Bruce felt that referee Steve Martin got the decision right saying:

“We’ve just seen it. It wasn’t (a penalty). Their lad has run into ours. The referee did well.”

Clough still felt hard done by, though, as Ross McCormack popped up with the winner after boyhood Villa fan Jamie Ward had cancelled out Leandro Bacuna’s opener.

“We just don’t deserve it.

“McCormack, what was he £14m? He taps one in from a yard, but I’m just looking at the second goal and (goalkeeper) Jon McLaughlin has got the slightest of touches on the cross and it’s gone through John Brayford’s legs to the far post, otherwise he would have cleared it.

“It’s little things like that.

“They haven’t got anything to do with our quality, there was just a bit of misfortune on our part.

“But we’re Burton Albion coming to Villa Park.

“We have to congratulate the players for their performance but they will be as down-hearted and as sick as anyone.

“Four games on the spin we’ve lost by one goal.

“It should have been three points against Newcastle and Huddersfield too but we lose by the smallest of margins.

“It’s hard to take.”