The midfielder calmly slotted home after some neat interplay in the box with left-back Reece Hutchinson, cancelling out the visitors’ ninth-minute opener to draw the Brewers level.

With no further goals scored, the game went to penalties to decide who would secure a bonus point in the final round of EFL Trophy group games.

Burton went on to win the shoot-out 4-1. But even with the extra point, it wasn’t enough to secure qualification to the next round of the competition.

The club finishes third in the EFL Trophy Southern Group H with three points from three games and will now return its attention to its League One relegation battle.

Fight for survival

Edwards, who joined Burton ahead of the 2019/20 season, was making his eighth appearance of the season.

His preparations for the campaign had been affected by a knee injury, and a hamstring problem kept him out of a couple of games in October.

But when fit and available he has been a key part of the first team after impressing during his debut season with the club.

He scored seven goals in 44 appearances last term, including starting 33 of the club’s 35 league games before the season was curtailed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Last time out the Midlanders finished 12th in League One, but this time around they find themselves second bottom with seven points from nine games, and without a win since 20 September – nine games ago.

Up next is a trip to fifth-placed Hull City on Saturday afternoon UK time, where Edwards will likely come up against compatriot Callum Elder for the Tigers.