BFC 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday 18th February 2017

‘If we knock 'art Knockaert....’

Grove Street school, soon to be R.I.P.

Just been looking at our results this season, and since beating Rovrum 4-0 we have won 3 and lost 7 at home.  Thank goodness for away games!  This week, it was Brighton’s turn to do us over, but what can you do, when you match them toe to toe and you get done with lethal finishing, the like of which we haven’t got?  To be honest, it looked like a nil-nil all the way to me, till someone (MacDonald?) lost his man, Baldock, who flicked it up and hammered it on the half volley over the keeper from 20 yards.  Class.  Their second goal wasn’t bad either, if you ignore the bit where Hamill loses it on the halfway line.  They broke down our right, Yiadom was bamboozled by Knockaert, and a simple inside ball was tapped home.  Game over.

The view from pitchside.

We rarely threatened however. Marley hit a couple of efforts on target, but, otherwise, the best we could come up with was Hamill, on as sub.  He blazed over within a minute of coming on, then hit a 20 yarder into the chest of the keeper.  Later, he dribbled round 3 players and fizzed one just over the bar with his left.  Oh, and the ref certainly missed a chance to put us ahead.  Their left back definitely handled it, his arm even came up to knock the ball in the air.  Good job the ref has a linesman to help him.  Do they EVER award penalties these days?
Oh well, we tried.

Moncur dragged off, thank Christ.

*** James.  Confident on the ball and defensively solid.  A couple of times he put his foot on the ball, dragged it back, turned, and put us on the attack.  The very opposite of what Moncur was doing (more on him later).  Twitter MOTM.
** Roberts.  Another one who had to up his game to make up for his partner.  
* Watkins.  Started out wide, before put in the middle once Bradshaw got the curly finger.  Had our best 2 shots. 

Londontykes' MOTM:1. James  2. Roberts  3. Watkins

The Ponty

Despatches:
Davies had nowt to do, but caught a few crosses and kicked accurately.  Caught off his line for their 1^st, but what keeper wouldn’t have been?  Yiadom and Jones didn’t get forward as much as I’d hoped, adding to the lack of supply from Moncur in centre-mid.  Beckenham Chris thought we were all a bit harsh on Moncur, but he seemed the 1^st person on the lips of the Londontykes, who all agreed he looks p*** poor.  (Mind, Chris was less supportive once he’d heard Moncur was of a biblical-bent).  Only seems to go backwards.  I thought he was an ATTACKING player?  He even TURNS towards his own goal, before giving the slide rule 10 yard square pass.  He’s like a s*** Mitch Ward.  (And the original wasn’t very good.)  Bradshaw was anonymous, and while I accept the one Hamill missed was from a range Bradshaw normally bags from, I’m not sure he’d have been there to miss it.  Mowatt looked lively as a sub, and I presume he’ll be in the team soon.  And there was nothing to suggest Scowen won’t walk straight back in either, once he’s fit.  Oh, and I nearly forgot Kent.  No wonder.  And I’m sure Armstrong was in the team too.  It’s just a pity we can’t blame our lack of attacking thrust on a team content to stay in their own half.  Brighton came for the victory and just had that little bit of extra quality.

The Albion 1400.  At least they had fun.

Drink du jour: 4 pints pre-match, Brooklyn and Erdinger.  Enough to have me dozing off a few times 1^st half.  Or was it the football?  Vodka and orange and/or bourbon and coke later.  The bourbon wot killed Charles Bukowski, I was reliably told.  We are made of sterner stuff, however.

Away: 1,396.  The Andies slated Brighton for their lack of turn out (top of the league and all) but I thought it was a decent amount.  Woulda been 1,397 if the bloke we met on the train hadn’t spent the afternoon in Chennells (true).  'Sh'nells' he promounced it.

The Damage:
21 travel

Programmes?  You must be joking.  Had sold out before any of us got there.

Match action.

Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 BFC, Saturday 24th September 2016

‘Normal service has resumed’

Off at Falmer

Another week, another loss.  Two games in a row of Armstrong and Winnall up front.  It’s not working, despite their hardwork.  Balls aren’t being held up, we’re being put back under the cosh and we’re losing goals.  Something has to give.  Pre-match, I thought it had. Marley Watkins was back in the team, but up front?  Oh no.  Let’s drop Kent and stick Marley wide midfield.  If it was meant to make us harder to break down, it didn’t work.  Brighton were all over us like a rash in that opening 15 and we’d had several let-offs before they scored.  And for a 2^nd week in a row, the opposition score from OUR attack.  Their left back clears a ball to the opposite wing and suddenly it’s 3 on 3.  As we retreat, their movement and passing has us all over the place and a low cross is buried by Glenn Murray.

Brighton's hilltop fortifications

Before that, Davies had saved a one-on-one (great) and had two clearances charged down (not great).  Knockaert on the right wing was a particular threat, for all the plaudits Murray seems to be getting.  Kpekewa never got near him, but I’m prepared to give him the benefit – White wouldn’t have got near him either.  Winnall missed a(nother) simple header, but was given offside.  Dire syndrome.  We scraped in at 1-0, grateful not to be further embarrassed.  The second half will be different.

Through the keyhole tunnel

It wasn’t.  Brighton continued to press and within 3 minutes of the re-start they’re two up, a free kick from the left flicked in by Murray.  It’s all too easy.  We awaited Hecky’s changes and 20 mins in, on comes Kent, for Marley.  We have our best 5 minutes of the match as Kent shows Hamill how to take a player on.  We even have a shot, as a one-two and snapshot from Winnall (I’m sure it was him, tho newspapers suggest it was Scowen) nearly catch the keeper out.  It was the only time we threatened, despite Bradshaw and Morsy replacing Winnall and Scowen with 10 mins left.  We were well beaten and perhaps we’re now realising how difficult this division is.  The worry is that if we don’t get a result soon, things could spiral.

The teams come out

*** Kent.  Responsible for the 5 minutes of pressure we had.  That’s how lowly I rated the rest.** Roberts.  Says it all.  Decent display yet their centre forward still scored 2.  But the midfield were (again) overran.* McDonald.  As above.

Londontykes MOTM:1. Kent2= Roberts2= Scowen


Despatches: Obviously, the best thing about Brighton is…Brighton.  So a cracking few beers before and after in the Morning Star, and plenty of friendly locals wanting to chat, as well as appearances from Farnham, Jim, Pompey (and his navy mates).  We might even have recruited a new Londontyke or two…the doughball master from Brighton, the Chingford Massive and London Jesus.  We didn’t even have to queue for a train afterwards, though we did have a beer in the ground first.

As for the players, Winnall and Armstrong were invisible.  Winnall in particular was coming under various abusive comments from those around us.  I never even had to say owt!  (But I did.)  His inability to hold a ball up or pick a pass means he’s on very borrowed time.  Armstrong had one run late on and that’s it.  GET MARLEY UP TOP. Hammill either lost it or looked for free kicks that simply weren’t there.  Like Winnall, he goes down when he thinks he can’t get the ball.  He’s also on borrowed time, cos I’ve heard he’s not had a decent game this season.  I thought Yiadom was ok again, mainly cos Brighton attacked our left.  Anyone would think they knew Kpekewa can’t defend…and I’ve not seen owt to suggest otherwise.  Hourihane had a decent 1^st half, before disappearing, while Scowen ran about to no avail.  And Davies made a few saves, but the abiding memory was his inability to clear the ball.
Down to 7^th, riding the cusp of the play-offs.

I do like Brighton's stadium...

Drink du jour: I went all ‘Boho’ (lager) in the pub while I can’t believe I actually drank a pint of Fosters at the stadium, but there was nothing else.  Special mention to the fish and chips too.  Oh, and I didn’t fall asleep on the bus: one handy thing about catching a bus from East Croydon is that the last stop is Peckham!
Away: 712, though Andy disputes this, given that we’d sold 712 in advance.  Personally, I’m amazed it was even 700, looked about 300 to me.  Still, a fair bit of noise and a few chants of ‘your support is f***ing s***’ and ‘2-0 up and you still don’t sing’.  Another rousing chorus of ‘Barnsalee, Barnsalee’ at full time.  The fans are still with manager and team.
Will Winnall score 10 league goals this season? A new feature this year, as you all hope and pray I lose 50 of your finest maj’s English pounds.  Farnham: ‘No’.  Jim: ‘Yes, I think he will.’  9 games in, one goal.  It’s not looking good for SSW.
The Damage:
9 train
30 ent (which included travel to the stadium, though Reedy didn’t know this so we paid twice)
3.50 prog
= 42.50
The Tunes:
Blue Bell Knoll (Cocteau Twins)
Nowhere (Ride)

The Amex Panorama

That really IS the angle at the far end.

Barnsley 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday 5th April 2014

“two to one, Stephen Dawson, three to one, Stephen Dawson, four to one, Stephen Dawson”

Nothing says ‘holiday!’ more than sitting on your couch having a snifter of port in the middle of the afternoon while watching a pointless football match (West Ham v Liverpool).  Good to see the Scousers conceding from a blatant foul on the keeper.  Anyway…

yesterday I went to a football match.  S*** or bust for both Barnsley and Brighton, us needing the points to stay up, them needing a win to stay on course for the play offs.  A classic was guaranteed.

That's zero mins to go, not gone.  A classic indeed.

We went 4-5-1, Pedersen out, replaced by McLoughlin, playing a sort of right midfield role.  Polish Tom went central and O’G was on his own up front.  1^st half, we played some attractive football, with McLoughlin in particular, impressing with his foraging runs.  However, goalless at half time, with the only real chance being a pullback to the edge of our box for Brighton to hit over.  Brighton led 3-1 on bookings, with the centre forward (Ulloa) doing his best to get sent off, though the ref did well to give him three last chances.

Second half, kicking towards the Ponty, I was optimistic.  Brighton would have to come at us more, we could pick them off on the counter (or vice versa).  Instead…nothing happened.  M’Voto missed an open goal with a header (head like a fifty pee piece) while McLaughlin hit the bar with a looping header from a looping Kennedy cross.  Hardly a chance, I’d say, more a case of our lad doing well to get the header somewhere on target.  Meantime, they blazed a couple more pullbacks over the bar.  (It’s almost like Brighton practice these things).

Then the most contentious decision(s) of the match.  Etuhu gets booked for making a perfectly fine tackle on the halfway line and within minutes he’s walking, as a blatant foul on a player bearing down on the final third gives the ref no choice.  Mr Reed was still so apoplectic after the match that he tried all the way to London to pick an argument with me about it, so I’ll tell it how it is: if the ref decided the 1^st one was a foul (even if I didn’t) he had to book him, cos their player was in on the break.  The 2^nd card was a little stupid.  Etuhu knew he was on a yellow, he shoulda just let their guy go (heading as he was towards the corner), let the centre half come in on the cover, while he regrouped in the centre.  But no, he HAD to make the challenge, a stone cold yellow if ever there was one.  So, we had 15 mins to play with a man down.

To be fair, Brighton still didn’t threaten.  Though with German Nick on the pitch, it often felt like we had 9 players.  I’d have dragged his sorry substitute ar5e off the field once we went down to 10, cos he has the mobility of a postbox.  The match drifted towards goallessness, as Brighton STILL had no sense of adventure.  What a let down they were to the 625 or whatever it was who came up.  (How does a team with 27,000 home fans, on the edge of the play offs, only manage 600 odd away fans?)  Brighton looked like a team happy to get a nil-nil at Barnsley.  Christ, I’D be disappointed with a nil-nil at Barnsley!

625/27000 = a very low ratio.

*** O’Grady.  Held up everything, brought players in, made an amazing defensive tackle 2^nd half.  Got nothing off the ref despite constant shirt pulling, kicking, etc etc.  The usual.

** M’Voto.  Won everything.  If only he’d bagged that open goal.

* Nyatanga.  The perfect central defensive pair?  Big and brutal with classy and calm?

Despatches:
Sponsors MOTM Dawson prompted well from midfield, despite the betting allegations against him.  Polish Tom had a couple of good runs down the middle, while Kennedy was excellent at left back.  As was Kelvin on the right, till his early departure.

Good noise from the fans too, especially the Ponty.  Such a shame the players couldn’t deliver.  The team did their best, played well, but lacked that extra quality needed to create chances.  Bring back Mellis!  (Or get Paddy on).  But don’t gimme German Nick.  O’Grady’s lack of pace is bad enough, without Herman being on.  I counted 4 touches for the German; 3 he lost the ball and a 4^th involved heading the ball straight up in the air (but with 10 men, no-one was running up in support).  He offers NOUGHT to our team.

Home Time on Grove Street

Drink du jour: vodka and orange or JD and coke.  Takes yer pick.  Then we drank the Betjeman out of Lowenbrau at St. Pancras (though admittedly this was only 4 pints) while it was also great to see the return of Geraldo.  And a lively train back, full of Leyton Orient…including a couple of ex-pupils of one Mr Jones!  (And you shoulda seen the size of the fat kid with the PE GCSE!)

Come on you Reds!

A

ps, I see Liverpool have just been given their 2^nd pen of the game, 5^th in a week.  That’s an entire SEASON’S worth.  F*** me.