Brighton & Hove Albion v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Football League One

Brighton & Hove Albion :
Kuipers, Whing, Richards, Hawkins (Lynch 70), Elphick, McLeod (Robinson 65), Cox, Livermore, Thomson, Murray, Forster
Subs not used:
Mayo, Loft, Fraser

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Williams, Byrne, Mirfin, Pearce, Thompson (Sparrow 77), Woolford (Morris 59), McCann, Togwell, Hooper (May 73), Hayes
Subs not used:
Lea, Lillis

SULSESC REPORT

by Steve Edwards at Withdean Stadium

THE chosen meeting place was the Battle of Trafalgar pub just by Brighton station. From the outside, it looked like the pub had actually been in a battle, but inside a nice homely feel with both sets of fans mingling freely.

I'd been warned that the Withdean was not the best place to watch football, which turned out to be something of an understatement. You have to feel admiration for the Albion fans who turn out to support their team in this place...no cover and no atmosphere.

But at least they are alive and competing, so respect

to them. Anyway, stuck behind one of the goals with the worst view in the stadium is the lot of an away supporter here, so it's just as well the team turned up big style to banish the blues. A few minutes in, straining eyes saw the 'onion bag' ripple as a low cross was converted by Woolford to put us one up. Albion got into the game with some nice pass and move stuff and we thought an equaliser was on the cards. Fortunately Joe Murphy had been spared international call-up and a couple of brilliant saves meant we were still in the driving seat when Hooper weaved across a vacant Albion six-yard box to coolly finish in the bottom corner just before half-time.

You're never sure with the Iron... and given our legendary second-half 'giveaways', talk was not of what a great position we were in, but how we could possibly throw this lead away!

Our third and fourth goals were simply down to the utter determination of Gary Hooper, working positions for himself when the Albion defence looked to be favourites to deal with the situation. If he carries on in this vein, similarities to Billy Sharp will be justifiably drawn.

Okay, four up...the next hurdles to overcome are Nige's substitutions. Can he possibly disrupt the team's rhythm with telling changes? Hooper's work completed, Ben May came on. That gave Albion's defence a rest as he's not exactly blessed with speed. This was humorously highlighted when Hayesy rocketed past him to close down space... and he'd started the game! In fact, when discussing the merits of our bench players, don't do it too loudly as his Dad might be sitting a couple of rows in front of you!

A masterful double save by Murphy kept Albion's frustrations to the fore until a neat left wing cross beat the Iron defence and landed nicely on the farpost for the 'runner' to nod down and into the net. So, four goals, four heavy showers which fortunately didn't hang around too long, and big smiles. The Albion fans were generous in defeat, highlighted bytheir warm applause of Hooper as he was subbed. We didn't dominate the game as the scoreline might suggest, but clinical finishing and the brilliance of Murphy were the difference here, and means we are looking good. As we walked back to Preston Park station, the heavens opened and this time stayed open for the rest of the day. Another bit of luck as for any supporter (home or away) to be stuck at the Withdean in wet conditions is not a good plan.