It was a grey and mild afternoon at the southern seaside resort of Brighton where the Rovers met in-form Brighton and Hove Albion in a battle for three points to enhance each other's chances of finishing in the top six. The Rovers made one change from the starting line-up against Gillingham on Tuesday, Sean McDaid coming into midfield for Mark Wilson, whose groin injury forced him off early in the win against Gillingham. Steve Roberts returns from a foot injury but only on the bench. Brighton have lost just once in their last seven games, at Carlisle United but had a good win at Walsall on Tuesday and have a full squad to choose from. The Rovers defended the end where their supporters were sat, about thirty yardsbehind the goal because of the running track.
The home team won a free kick in the first minute about thirty yards out but although Richards got it on target, Sullivan saved comfortably. Wellens, for the Rovers then put wide from 25 yards but after 9 minutes, Stock hit a tremendous drive from 25 yards that thudded against the top of the bar and over. Five minutes on and Brighton won a corner on their right. Cox put it out to the left of the 18 yards line where Westlake met it with a terrific volley that was blocked on the goal-line by a wall of Rovers defenders and put out for a corner. This led to another one but the referee ruled a free kick for the Rovers in the penalty area. The rain had started by this time soaking the majority of the spectators, home as well as away, because there was very little cover for them. Play was reasonably even, with the Roversattacking well down the right but no end result from the crosses that came in. On 28 mininutes, a trio of corners to the home team didn't bring them any result although the second corner led to Cox hammering in a drive from outside the penalty area that Green put his head in the way to put it out. Ten minutes from the break, Cox had long range shot saved comfortably by Sullivan and minutes later Kuipers, in the Brighton goal, did the same with a Wellens effort from 25 yards. Four minutes from the break, Murray, for the Seagulls, scuffed his shot from outside the area when in a good position. A somewhat desultory half came to an end with the score-line still goal-less but at least the rain had ceased and the scene had brightened considerably.
The Rovers set the second half in motion but the home teamput in the first attack on goal with a shot by Murray from distance that Sullivan saved easily. The Rovers retalaiated immediately, with Kuipers having to go down to save from Heffernan and Wellens then putting wide. Minutes later, a good move down the Rovers left saw Wellensgive the ball to Green thirty yards out in the centre of the pitch but he fired well over the top. El Abd, for the home team, then fired high and wide from distance. On 56 minutes came drama when sheer persistence by Mayo, who rode a number of tackles before releasing Forster and was then adjudged to have been brought down by Stock just inside the penalty area. FORSTER took the kick but Sullivan saved with his legs as he dived to his right. The Brighton forward followed up, however and slotted in the rebound. Brighton were having much the better of the game at this stage when Westlake cut in from the right, his shot was blocked by Sullivan, who then tipped over the follow-up header from Murray. On 73 minutes, the home team came again with Cox on the right putting in a low cross that Sullivan cut out with a diving save as blue and white shirts waited in the middle. With 15 minutes left the Rovers made a triple substitution, which seemed to inject a bit more life into the team. Taylor headed over form a corner and Elliott fired over from 30 yards. Brighton's one real effort on goal at this time came after 86 minutes when Hart, all on his own on the left side, had his shot blocked by Mills.
Teams - Brighton & Hove Albion - Michel Kuipers; Andrew Whing, Joel Lynch, Adam El Abd, Dean Cox, Ian Westlake, Nicky Forster, Steve Thomson, Glenn Murray, Tommy Elphick, Matt Richards
Subs used - Kerry Mayo for Richards 24mins; Gary Hart for Forster 86 mins;
Subs not used - Jake Robinson, Johnny Dixon, Tom Fraser
Cautions- Westlake, Thomson, Whing,
ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; Paul Green, Matt Mills, Adam Lockwood, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens, Sean McDaid; Mark McCammon, Paul Heffernan
Subs used - James Hayter for McCammon 75mins; Gareth Taylor for McDaid 75mins; Stuart Elliott for Heffernan 75mins;
Subs not used - Steve Roberts, Sam Hird,
Cautions - Stock, Mills, Lockwood, Wellens,
