The Seagulls have finally returned home from a trip to Crewe with a point in the bag. And in all truth Albion will feel hard done by they didn’t return home with all three points following a highly entertaining match.

 

Crewe: Williams, Woodards, Cox, Baudet, Moss, Lowe, O’Connor (O’Donnell 80), Jones, Rix (Vaughan 73), Varney, Maynard (Higdon 46).
Subs Not Used: Bignot, Jack.

Goals: Varney 18.

Brighton: Flinders, El-Abd, Lynch, Butters, Mayo, Cox, Bertin, Revell (Hart 72), Hammond, Savage, Robinson.
Subs Not Used: Kuipers, Elphick, Elder, Ward.

Booked: Hammond.

Goals: Savage 31.

Att: 5,202

Ref: K Stroud (Hampshire).

Michel Kuipers returned from injury but surprisingly only found himself on the bench with on loan Scott Flinders continuing in goal. Jake Robinson and Alex Revell both returned to the starting line up with Nick Ward and Joe Gatting making way. Revell partnered Bas Savage upfront while Jake Robinson played just behind the front two in the tip of the midfield diamond formation

Albion started well with some crisp passing in the early stages as they enjoyed the majority of possession.

The promising start counted for nothing though when on 18 minutes Crewe took the lead against the run off play. Albion captain Dean Hammond gave possession away in midfield with an under hit pass to Guy Butters. Crewe’s highly rated Luke Varney latched onto the ball to break forward and fire the ball low into the bottom corner past a helpless Scott Flinders from just outside the area.

Earlier in the season Crewe thrashed the Albion 4-1 at Withdean with a hat trick from another promising youngster Nicky Maynard. And the 15-goal man almost added to his season’s total on 25 minutes when his pace got him past Joel Lynch as he jinxed into the area but he was denied with a smart block from Scott Flinders at his near post.

Dean Hammond was unlucky not to put the Albion level on the half hour mark when his header from a Kerry Mayo corner was blocked on the line. From the resulting corner Hammond was once again denied when his header was blocked on the line but Bas Savage was on hand to poke home the lose ball from close range to get his 3rd goal for the Seagulls in 5 starts.

And Savage almost made it 4 goals moments before half time. A long ball forward towards Savage from Alexis Bertin should have been dealt with comfortable by Crewe defender Daniel Woodards, but his header back to his keeper fell well short gifting Savage with a great chance. But the big forward snatched at his shot and the ball whistled agonisingly wide of the post.

Albion dominance continued in the second half and they will have left Gresty Road scratching their heads as to why they didn’t grab all three points with the number of chances they created, but they also had Scott Flinders to thank that Crewe didn’t catch us out on the break.

Alexis Bertin fired in an early long-range effort from 25 yards just past the post as he continued his good form since joining the Seagulls in January.

Luke Varney continued to threaten the Seagulls at the other end and he should have put Crewe back in front when he pounced on a rare slip from Adam El-Abd, but from close range he fired over the bar.

But from that point on it was almost entirely Albion pressure as Crewe were camped in their own half.

Dean Cox went close with a long-range effort that flashed inches wide of the Crewe goal.

Jake Robinson went even close than Cox with a shot from just outside the area that beat Crewe keeper Ben Williams but bounced back off the post.

Robinson again went close late on with a shot that looked destined for the top corner from 25 yards but Williams dived across his goal to deny the young striker a goal on his return to the first team.  

But while Albion pushed everyone forward in search of a winner they left gaps at the back and on two occasions they can count themselves slightly fortunate not to have conceded. Twice Crewe broke from Albion corners with Scott Flinders twice pulling off great saves from Luke Varney from one-on-one situations.

Despite constant pressure and a corner count that must have reached double figures in the second half alone Albion couldn’t find that winning goal.

So Albion got their first ever point away to Crewe, and only their second draw away from home all season, a result most Albion fans would have taken at the start of the day. Next weekend the Seagulls are once again on their travels as they head to play off chasing Blackpool.

Added on Sunday, March 4th, 2007 at 12:06 pm under Match reports by Wilka.