The Albion kicked off the new League One campaign with a harsh 2-1 defeat away to bogey team Crewe despite taking a first half lead through Dean Cox.

 

 

Despite the defeat the Seagulls will take a lot of positives away from a game they dominated and really should have won.

There weren’t too many surprises in the Albion starting line up with both summer signings, Andy Whing and Nicky Forster starting. The training ground injury to Jake Robinson opened the door for Tommy Fraser to start on the right of midfield while Kerry Mayo was selected ahead of Sam Rents at left back.

And the Seagulls started the game brightly and almost went ahead after just six minutes when Dean Hammond rattled the woodwork with a header from an Andrew Whing cross with Crewe keeper Ben Williams beaten.

Nicky Forster should have marked his Albion debut with a goal shortly after when he meet Fraser’s cross with a close range header which he could only head downwards straight at Williams, who was grateful to make a comfortable save.

Albion continued to control the game and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 14 minutes. A deep cross from Kerry Mayo was knocked down in the area by Tommy Fraser for Dean Cox to slot the ball home from around the penalty spot.

But the joy was short lived for the 900 or so travelling Albion fans when the home side were handed a route back into the game on 22 minutes when Dean Hammond was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area.

A cross from the right by Billy Jones seemed to bounce up and hit the Albion skipper on his hand, the referee initially waved away Crewe’s protests, but his assistant flagged and the penalty was given. Gary Roberts stepped up and lashed the ball past Kuipers in the Albion goal.

The referee’s assistant at the other end of the ground wasn’t so generous to the Seagulls moments before half time when Dean Hammond’s header from a Kerry Mayo corner appeared to have crossed the line in a crowded penalty area, but play continued and the home side cleared the danger.

Crewe striker Nicky Maynard was stretchered off with an ankle injury after 24 minutes having looked dangerous whenever he was on the ball for the home side. But overall Albion keeper Michel Kuipers wasn’t forced into any serious work at all in the first half.

Albion continued to create good chances in the second half with Alex Revell dragging a shot just wide moments into the second half after breaking through the Crewe defence.

The woodwork was once again rattled by the Seagulls with Tommy Fraser crashing a header against the bar from close range with the aid of a slight deflection from a Crewe defender following Forster’s knock back across goal from a Andy Whing cross.

And when you fail to take your chances you are often made to pay in football and in the Albion’s case normally by Crewe! And yesterday was no exception as the home side grabbed all three points on 79 minutes when Roberts grabbed his second goal of the game when he headed home a Billy Jones cross at the far post after a quick break.

Dean Wilkins threw on both Savage and Elder in the last few minutes as they looked for a way back into the game, but luck was against the Seagulls as a clear penalty in the dying moments was waved away by referee Bratt who instead gave a free kick just outside of the box, despite Dean Cox being brought down just inside the area as TV replays have shown.

Despite that Cox went close with a shot from just outside the area which went agonisingly over the bar but it wasn’t to be Brighton’s day.

We never win at Crewe, no matter how we play! Albion fans shouldn’t be too down heartened by the defeat though as there were a lot of positives to take. We created lots of good chances and on another day with luck on the Albion’s side and a few decisions they would have walked away comfortable winners. Up next the Seagulls travel to Championship side Cardiff in the league cup on Tuesday.

Crewe: Williams, Woodards (O’Donnell 83), Jones, Baudet, McCready, Moore, Cox, Roberts (Pope 82), Schumacher, Miller, Maynard (Vaughan 24).

Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Bopp.

Goals: Roberts 22 pen, 79.

Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, Mayo, Butters, Lynch, Fraser (Reid 68), El-Abd (Savage 81), Hammond, Cox, Forster, Revell (Elder 83).

Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Elphick.

Booked: Whing, Cox.

Goals: Cox 14.

Att: 5,394.

Ref: S Bratt (W Midlands).

Added on Sunday, August 12th, 2007 at 11:10 am under Match reports by Wilka.