Match Day Thread Brighton and Hove Albion @ Amex Stadium 24/10/2015

On the road again with another marathon journey for those going on the coach(me), the opposition I think will give us a slightly harder game than on Tuesday after all we are up against the undefeated league leaders Brighton.
They have done surprisingly well under Chris Hughton with a squad who with all respects are not world beaters but will give 100% and don't appear to know when they are beaten coming from behind to beat Bristol City on Tuesday and snatching a late winner last Saturday at the comedy club at Elland Road.
They have a cosmopolitan squad with a couple of Israeli internationals and have the quaintly named Bong at left back.
Garner now available after suspension but will Grayson play him, can see only one definite change with Huntington replacing Vermjil, nothing against our on loan defender but defending must have got lost in translation, great going forward but highly suspect when in reverse gear.
A match report sometime on Sunday when coach lag has gone. Finally have not mentioned the two words which spread terror into any North End fan, he has scored for them in the last two games and when we last came across him in 2005 he slipped and scored a goal of his shin. BOBBY ZAMORA

 

As good as the win at Charlton was on Tuesday night this in my view was a far better performance by North End to take a point from apparently under strength league leaders Brighton in a goalless draw at the Amex stadium. A marathon 6 hrs 20 minute journey from the North West mainly due to the car park called the M25 saw the coach arrive 30 minutes before kick off. Having been sat down for that period of time I had an arse the size of Manchester when I got there which made the padded seats they have an absolute godsend.
Must say being charged £4.10 for a pie was nothing short of extortion but only draw back on the visit. The first half saw the home side put North End under the cosh for periods of the play, they had a few wayward shots and when they did manage to find the target they could not get past the highly impressive Pickford in the North End goal, think he will play for the National side. He denied Murphy twice both times from free kicks. North End looked dangerous on the break with Doyle putting in another shift up front and only being denied a goal by a smart save by Stockdale in the Albion goal. Approaching half time Hugill should have done better but his tame shot barely troubled Stockdale.
There was only one side in it in the second half and it wasn't Brighton, Gallagher screwed horribly wide when well placed as North End pinned the home side back. Reach on the wing had his best game in a North End short whilst the fast improving Browne started to see more of the ball in midfield(still don't know why he was dropped for the Cardiff game)
Albion brought on the Zamora on the hour, he was was roundly booed by the away support but was rarely seen due to North End's dominance. Johnson should have scored but missed his kick when well placed and substitute Garner had a header cleared off the line by Bruno. However the best chance came deep into the eight minute stoppage time, with Albion down to ten after losing Bong to an injury a corner from the right found Garner in acres of space on the edge of the six yard box, the ball was slightly behind him as he went for a spectacular volley, he put it wide.
So it was back on the coach finally arriving home at 11.20pm, a long long day. The away support of 949 were magnificent in their support and maybe they have just started to witness the team getting to grips with the Championship.

Brighton and Hove Albion 0 Preston North End 0 Att 24629


Brighton manager Chris Hughton:

"We have characters in the side.

"We weren't at our best today and last season this was a game we would lose. We'd rather have the challenge of teams wanting to beat us and the longer it goes on, the tougher it will be."

Preston manager Simon Grayson:

"We have said all season that we've played very well. We have been involved in every game but not had the results.

"But now we are gaining in confidence. Our 3-0 away win at Charlton in midweek was a really good performance and we tried to get three points at Brighton."

 

Evn the Brighton supporters said that NE were the best team to play at the Amex. Chris Hughton is a decent manager on occasions unjustly treated. Deserves a good break...but not at NE's expense. Apparently, Vermijl has had good games at centre half. Maybe be a fullback nowadays or wing back is rather confusing. Willie Cunningham and Joe Walton would have had nose bleeds if they had been in the opposition's half.