Albion have ended the season with a 1-1 draw away to Cheltenham giving them an 18th place finish in League One. A debut goal from Nathan Elder had given the Seagulls the lead but a harsh late penalty gave the home side a point.

 

It was a game that summed the Seagulls season up well. Some breif good spells, but overall a disappointing end.

The main positive to come out of the game was the performance of Nathan Elder on his first senior start for the club. The former Billericay striker heading home with a powerful header from a Zesh Rehman cross after 23 minutes.

Another of the day’s positives came from the performance of young Tommy Elphick at center back. Starting his first away game for the club the only down point to his performance came when he was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball to give the home side a spot kick with just 3 minutes to play.

Home captain John Finnigan stepped up to convert the spot kick past the returning Michel Kuipers in the Albion goal.

Overall the Seagulls dominated the game and really should have seen it out for a 1-0 win.

Cheltenham will be happy with their seasons work after promotion from League Two last season via the play offs. But for the Seagulls finish a few places above the relegation zone was not what most Albion fans had hoped for this year.

With some many promising young players in the squad it’s important Dean Wilkins finds some experience to compliment them over the summer. The summer could actually end up being more interesting than the Seagulls rather damp end to the season.

So bring on the new season and new hope! But more importantly lets hope the club get the positive decision we desperately need for our new stadium over the summer.

Cheltenham: Scott Brown, Gill, Townsend, Duff, Armstrong, Melligan, Finnigan, Bird, Caines (Reid 73), Odejayi (Connor 69), Gillespie.
Subs Not Used: Lowe, Connolly, Gallinagh.

Booked: Melligan, Odejayi.

Goals: Finnigan 87 pen.

Brighton: Kuipers, Rehman, Butters, Elphick, Rents, Hart, El-Abd, Bertin, Cox, Revell, Elder.
Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Robinson, Gatting, Loft, Fraser.

Booked: Rehman, Hart, Butters, Kuipers.

Goals: Elder 23.

Att: 6,232.

Ref: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).

Added on Sunday, May 6th, 2007 at 1:27 pm under Match reports by Wilka.