VICTORY was oh so sweet for Salisbury City on Saturday when they avenged an early season defeat by Burton Albion with a performance that oozed professionalism.

Whites let slip a 3-1 lead to succumb 4-3 last time they faced the Brewers, but it was a far more street-wise side that ground out victory against Nigel Clough's side at a sunny, but chilly Ray Mac.

Playing with the confidence a nine-match unbeaten run affords, City were always a match for their promotion-chasing opponents.

Once again, the foundation of their success was built on a resilient back four, who allowed the normally prolific Daryl Clare not an inch of space to create an opening.

Skipper Aaron Cook led by example and another gutsy display by midfield demons Mike Fowler and Wayne Turk ensured Whites were never on the back foot for long.

There were few first half chances as both sides came to terms with the poor surface.

Whites forced a third minute corner and nice skill by loan-signing Rob Sinclair following a Jon Bass throw put Robbie Matthews in on goal but the striker had strayed offside.

From a seventh-minute Bass free kick, Matthews climbed well to knock the ball into the path of Darrell Clarke but Albion custodian Kevin Poole just beat him to the ball.

Fowler fluffed a shot on the half-hour mark after good work by Sinclair and Matt Tubbs, who was on the receiving end of some strong challenges by his markers, none of which were punished by Woodley referee Steve Creighton.

Five minutes later, Marc Goodfellow had Burton's only real chance of the half, his shot deflected behind for a corner.

Poole was again quick off his line to beat Tubbs to the ball as the first half ended goalless.

Clarke again had half-a-chance at the start of the second period, he got on the end of a Bass cross but once again Poole proved a safe pair of hands.

His opposite number Ryan Clarke had had very little to do all afternoon but was alert just past the hour mark when Shaun Harrad brushed past Ed Asafu-Adjaye before unleashing a low shot which Clarke saved comfortably.

Whites made a change on 64 minutes when Tubbs was replaced by Liam Feeney.

Matthews burst through moments later and pulled the ball back for Turk but his blocked effort was scrambled to safely and ultimately drifted behind for a goal kick.

However, Burton goalkeeper Poole appeared to suffer an injury taking the goal kick, and after being escorted off the pitch was replaced by Saul Deeney, whose first task was to pick the ball out of the net a minute or so later after Fowler diverted the ball over a crowded goalline from a wicked Feeney corner.

Almost immediately Burton were on the offensive - Clarke saving well to deny Burton's new-signing Paul Hurst, whose arrival at the injury-hit club from Rotherham United had been so hasty the Brewers had not had time to print his name on the back of his shirt.

The game now hotted up and Sinclair fired over the bar from close range following a swift and stylish City move.

Matthews and Feeney again linked well on 76 minutes down the left, but Burton could easily have drew level moments later when a useful corner drifted across the six-yard box but no Albion player could connect.

They then paid the price when the hard-working Matthews raced onto a smart Feeney pass and smacked it past Deeney from just inside the penalty box for a deserved second City goal.

Matthews' clinically dispatched effort had made the points safe and despite four minutes of added time, there was no way back for the Brewers.

Commenting on his seventh league goal of the campaign, Matthews said: "I was really pleased with it.

"It was a nice through ball from Liam and it just bounced up nicely for me to head on and then bounced nicely for me to volley in.

"It's good to get back into the team and score."