Albion completed a depressing Easter Holiday period with a late minute 2-1 defeat away to Tranmere despite taking a first half lead through a Goodison own goal. Goals from Craig Curran and Chris Greenacre giving the home side victory.

 

 Tranmere: Ward, Stockdale, Thompson, Goodison, Sherriff, Shuker (Curran 75), Harrison, McLaren, Ellison (Davies 62), Zola, Greenacre.
Subs Not Used: Hinchliffe, Taylor, McCready.

Booked: Zola, Sherriff.

Goals: Curran 76, Greenacre 90 pen.

Brighton: Flinders, Rehman, Lynch, Butters (Elder 90), Rents, El-Abd, Fraser (Hart 79), Cox, Loft (Ward 79), Robinson, Savage.
Subs Not Used: Kuipers, Elphick.

Booked: Rehman.

Goals: Goodison 11 og.

Att: 5,528

Ref: T Bates (Staffordshire).

Albion were without Alex Revell, Kerry Mayo, Alexis Bertin and Alex Frutos after they all picked up injuries in the 2-0 defeat at home to Doncaster. In came Guy Butters, Sam Rents, Tommy Fraser and Dean Cox. Also returning to the line up was Jake Robinson who partnered Bas Savage upfront with Doug Loft playing at the tip of the diamond formation.

The first half was very entertaining with both side creating good chances but it was perhaps the Seagulls who should have gone in at half time further ahead.

Albion’s goal came after 11 minutes. Doug Loft won the ball with a crouching tackle before playing a one two with Dean Cox before his low cross was deflected in by Tranmere defender Ian Goodison from close range.

Sam Rents almost marked his return to the starting line up with a goal when he hit the bar from just outside the penalty area after a low corner picked out his late run.

Dean Cox also went close when he forced the home keeper Gavin Ward into a good save from a Jake Robinson cross when he hocked the ball goalwards from 8 yards out while Adam El-Abd will be disappointed with a free header he put wide from close range from a Cox free kick.

At the other end the Seagulls will once again thank Scott Flinders who made a brilliant early save from a Calvin Zola header from a corner.

Into the second half and Bas Savage almost extended the Albion’s lead when his shot from just outside the penalty area found the side netting rather than the back of the net with Dean Cox screaming for the ball in the middle.

But the Seagulls were made to pay for not taking their chances and the home side drew level on 76 minutes. A deep cross from Shane Sheriff found 17-year-old striker Craig Curran who scored  from close range with his first touch after just coming off the bench. The goal had a hint of offside about it but despite the protests from the Albion defence the goal stood.

From this point on there was only one team likely to take all three points and the home side did just that in the closing seconds.

Over the years Chris Greenacre has been a constant thorn in the Albion side and he continued his good goal scoring record against the Seagulls in the dying seconds. The former Mansfield Town striker was clipped down by Joel Lynch just inside the penalty area, quite why Lynch dived in with Greenacre heading away from goal I don’t know. Greenacre dusted himself off to take the spot kick which agonisingly avoided Scott Flinders dive to keep Rovers slim play off hopes alive.

The Albion now have 4 games to go and they need to give the Seagulls fans something to look forward to next season. Up next relegation threatened Bradford visit the Withdean.

Added on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 at 2:22 pm under Match reports by Wilka.