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Booked Murray is a sinner against Saints
WE had a fantastic game of football last Thursday night. Southampton came from Wembley to Withdean.
Five days earlier they had won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Wembley. We had the faint hope of an adverse reaction. There wasn't, Saints were up for it and intent on revenge for Albion's win at St Mary's in what was Gus Poyet's first game in charge.
It was a competitive south coast derby. With a good crowd approaching 8,000 we had the best atmosphere at Withdean this season. There was the added "interest" of ex-Albion players Dean Hammond and Dan Harding playing for the Saints plus our ex- manager Dean Wilkins in the away dug-out. There was no love lost!
It ended as a 2-2 draw, one point apiece, but it was so very nearly a perfect win! Only a very late equaliser saved Saints who despite their 10-point deduction still had slight hopes of reaching the play-offs.
But a draw was probably fair! What will surprise some people is the quality of the football. And that it was BRIGHTON that played it! Southampton were a fast, strong, physical team that used the long ball. They had the "Delap" long throws and the big punts up field. Poyet's teams are now passing from the back and through midfield. Saints didn't ever allow our players time to settle on the ball. It made for an interesting game.
What to say about Glenn Murray? After a couple of tremendous displays there was talk of offers coming in from big clubs! Any scouts at Withdean may just say keep the cheque book in the pocket! Glenn was back to his early Withdean form. He missed two chances at the start.
He was jumping early and missing his headers. He was getting caught offside. Into the second half he fell too easily and was shown a yellow card for his "dive". He now misses the next two games.
Our first goal was a cracker. Captain Andrew Crofts laid the ball back to find Elliott Bennett arriving at the edge of the area to strike a great shot past the Saints keeper for 1-0.
Just four minutes before half-time came the equaliser. Jon Otsembor sent in a deadly free-kick which former Albion skipper Hammond managed to get a touch with his head to beat Peter Brezovan and find the net. Hammond then managed to annoy many in the South Stand by overtly celebrating in front of them. Thereafter he only received jeers from the Albion faithful.
It was "Hammond, Hammond, what's the score?" when we went 2-1 up. This came early in the second-half after Poyet brought on Kazenga LuaLua and Ashley Barnes. It was an inspired substitution. LuaLua hurtled past the Saints' defence and sent in a fine cross from the left. Barnes leapt to head into the bottom corner and restore Albion's lead.
It was joy unconfined. We were rather happy! It is a rare occasion indeed when we have mass singing at Withdean but we did then.
Unfortunately Alan Pardew and his Southampton side didn't give up! A triple substitution and renewed attacking emphasis ended with an equaliser with just a minute left when a low cross was stabbed home by Lee Barnard.
There was time for our full-back Marcos Painter to suffer a nasty knee injury and be stretchered off. It wasn't quite the end we wanted but had been one of the best games at Withdean this season.
It all went pear-shaped on Bank Holiday Monday! After eight games unbeaten away from Withdean we lost a disappointing match at Hartlepool 2-0. Brighton were unlucky to be beaten by a less than impressive 'Pool.
Was it a change too far by Poyet? He brought in Gavin Hoyte for Painter (and not Adam Virgo). He gave first starts to Lee Hendrie and Ashley Barnes (in the absence of suspended Murray and on loan Nicky Forster, and rather than Chris Holroyd).
Brighton had the better of the goalless first 45 minutes. Ten minutes into the second-half Tommy Elphick claimed he was tripped as Roy O'Donovan ran clear onto a long ball and beat Brezovan. Poyet brought on our Uruguayan international Diego Arismendi but he lost out in his own half allowing a break-away by Andy Monkhouse who made it 2-0.
Gus said after the game it was "a bad day at the office." We slipped down to 14th in League One. There are six games left and a chance to get back on track at Withdean on Saturday against Carlisle.
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Weather for Horsham
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -7 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: East
