Wrexham were beaten 1-0 with the only goal coming after 15 minutes when goalkeeper Gavin Ward tried to dribble past Shaun Harrad instead of clearing Carl Tremarco's underhit back-pass, and the Burton striker slotted into an empty net.

Having won their previous two homes matches, Wrexham were well below their best but after seeing Simon Brown twice hit the woodwork and go close on another occasion, Little was disappointed not to have got at least a draw.

"It was self inflicted tonight. I can't remember Gavin having a save to make to be honest," said Little today.

"We hit the bar a couple of times, and had a good headed chance.

"There were enough opportunities for us to have got back in the game. I still feel we deserved at least a draw.

"It is easy to say we haven't played well, and we haven't played great, but I think the goal gave them a big help and we never got flowing because of that.

"If one of ours had gone in, it could have changed everything in all fairness but I wouldn't win that argument so I shouldn't go there.

"I can't win arguments when I lose games of football but I don't think we should have lost and I am disappointed.

"We gifted them a goal and should have scored one or two goals ourselves.

"We'll play worse than that and win football matches, that is a certainty, so we have got to hang on to that."

Wrexham went into the game having conceded just four goals in the opening six matches, boasting the joint best defensive record.

But Little was unhappy with the defensive error that proved costly, adding: "There are things to learn and it is a major disappointment to us. But we have to roll our sleeves up and get on."

"We have not done very much wrong.

"Two people have made a mistake. Carl's back pass was poor but I still think Gavin should have kicked it.

"He knows that, and both he and Carl know they should have done better.

"The last three goals have been bad goals but today's goal was a sloppy goal – one that should not have happened and that is the big disappointment."

Little conceded that Burton played to their strenths after going ahead and believes Nigel Clough's outfit are one of the best side's in the division.

"The goal just gave them the stability to settle down and then they kept the ball very well, which I know they are good at," said Little.

"That shows you that against the sides I look upon as being the better sides, you give them a goal start and they can hang in there. There know what to do, they keep the ball and frustrate you, and they did frustrate us.

"They always had an outball and I don't think we pressed them well enough. But having said that, I still think we should have scored.

"Burton are a decent side and played quite well. I thought they passed the ball better than us in fairness and that is what they can do.

"There are more than a handful of teams that if you give them a goal start in this league they will make it very hard for you.

"We have come back in the last two games against Salisbury and Altrincham but if you look at those two teams, on tonight's perormance they are nowhere near the quality that Burton showed."

Little admitted that Burton's back-line had made it difficult for his side.

"I think the effort was fine, we just couldn't quite break them down when they defended deep, and kept a tight reign on Jefferson Louis," said Little.

"Shaun Whalley did not get in the game a lot but Simon Brown worked hard and got round the back of them a few times.

"We should have done better from some situations but it has been a hard night's work and we are disappointed."

Wrexham, down to ninth in the table, make the trip to highflying Cambridge United on Saturday without a number of players.

Centre-back Steve Evans is away on international duty with Wales while Kyle Critchell and Nat Brown are sidelined through injury.

Having seen his side record a first away win against Salisbury at the weekend, Little stressed the importance of picking up points on the road but knows Cambridige will be tough opponents.

"At the moment we are going to be without Steve, Nat and Kyle so we are without three of our better players I feel," added Little.

"Take three players out of your starting 11 and that is a hefty chunk, and it is a hard game to go into without having your best team.

"It makes it harder because we haven't won tonight. I have said it a couple of times, you just can't rely on winning at home in this league. You have to do well away from home.

"Saturday's result was a great result for us, tonight's is a major set-back.

"But there are loads of things that can happen in the nest few weeks and months, and we have got to believe in what we are doing."

- Match report and pictures
- pages 46 and 47

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