MATCH REPORT: BRIGHTON V DONCASTER

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION				2		1		DONCASTER ROVERS
Buckley (83, 90+7)									Sharp (39)
16	C Ankergren							33	G Woods
3	G Greer							5	R Naylor
22	M Painter							3	G Friend
14	I Calderon							14	T Spurr
5	L Dunk							24	M Dumbuya
10	M Sparrow (Buckley 75)							16	J Oster
25	K Lua-Lua (Noone 46)							26	J Coppinnger (Hird 89)
18	G Dicker							18	S Gillett
26	L Bridcutt							13	R Mason (Bennett 75)
12	C Mackall-Smith							12	J Hayter
9	A Barnes							10	B Sharp ( G Barnes 55)
Subs								Subs
1	P Brezovan							1	N Sullivan
20	R Vindelot							21	S Hird
8	A Navarro							9	C Brown
30	W Buckley							17	G Barnes
11	C Noone							23	K Bennett

FUZZY STATS

	Off T	On T	Goal	Assist	Offside	Fouls Drawn	Fouls	Saves	Yellow	Red
Ankergren								2
Greer		1				1	1
Painter
Calderon						1
Dunk					1	1	1		1
Sparrow							1
Lua-Lua						3	1		1
Dicker		2				1	1
Bridcutt	1						2
Mackall-Smith	3	2			3	3
Barnes	3	1			2	2	1
Brezovan
Vindelot
Navarno
Buckley	2	2	2			1	1
Noone	2	2		1			2
	Off T	On T	Goals	Assist	Offside	Fouls Drawn	Fouls	Saves	Yellow	Red
Woods								9
Naylor	1					1	2		1
Friend						2	1
Spurr							2		1
Dumbuya							1
Oster	1	1				2	4		1
Coppinger						1	1
Gillett		2
Mason						1
Hayter	1					2
Sharp	1	2	1		1	1	1
Sullivan
Hird
Brown
Barnes						1	1
Bennett

FUZZY'S FUZZY VIEW

Well, for the first half at least it looked as though Rovers had managed stamp on all the party hats and pull the buzzy things out of those really annoying whizzy things you get at parties. Billy Sharp gave the South Yorkshireman a deserved lead at half time, but a Brighton side that were always improving plus some terrible luck meant that the "new stadium" party will continue into the East Sussex night after all.

For the first half hour, Rovers hardly let the Seagull's have a look in. Sharp was causing all sorts of problems and after 5 minutes was extremely unlucky to have been adjudged to have fouled Dunk when clean through on goal. By this time, Sharp had already given Ankergren a "sighter" and Mason had scuffed a good chance over the bar. Shortly after Sharp's chance was prevented by the ref, Oster received the first caution of the game with a trip on Mackall-Smith. The resulting free-kick was deflected wide by a fast charging Rovers' wall.

But Rovers were bossing it. Dumbuya made a great run down the right but his cross was intercepted before Sharp could pounce. The Rovers' hitman should then have had the visitors a goal up. Coppinger received the ball from Gillett and drove a cross which Sharp, uncharacteristically fired wide from 12 yards.

At the other end Spurr and Lua-Lua were starting an interesting contest. The new Rovers left back was late on the Congolesien and received a yellow for his trouble. Minutes later, the home fans were screaming for a red as Spurr put in another very robust tackle. I thought the ref got this right, on the second occasion, Spurr did get more of the ball, but the home fans were getting restless. Restlessness was turned more hostile when Lua-Lua went down in the area under the attention of Hayter. The referee decided that he had gone down a little too easily and showed him a yellow card. It was harsh on Lua-Lua but although the incident certainly didn't merit a yellow, nor was it a penalty.

It was all too much for Gus Poyet though. The Uruguayan obviously complained a little too vociferously to the 4th official. The referee was called over and Gus was to spend the rest of the match watching from the stands. With Doncaster dominating, things weren't looking good for the perfect stadium opening.

An awful challenge on Friend brought choruses of "You don't know what your doing" aimed at the referee. If they had seen the TV replay, they would have seen that Brighton had been lucky not to get their first card of the game.

Brighton were coming more into it now though. A ball fell for Ashley Barnes in the area. Woods blocked but Friend was still needed to make a timely clearance. Lua-Lua immediately afterwards put in a great cross for Mackall-Smith to head over. Naylor then picked up Rovers third yellow with a reckless lunge on Barnes that could easily have been more severely punished.

Mason, who was having a great game up to this point ran purposefully at the Brighton defence in the 39th minute. His shot was blocked but deflected for BILLY SHARP to volley. Ankergren nearly stopped it, but it trickled first against the post and then over the line. A deserved breakthrough for the visitors.

At the end of the half, carelessness on the edge of the area by Oster allowed Dicker through but he shot straight at Woods.

Half time and Lua-Lua was replaced by Noone, one of two substitutions by the Seagulls that would prove decisive. But the first decisive moment of the half came when Dunk slid into Sharp's heels. All Rovers fans know that Sharp stands up if he can. He didn't, and after a lengthy delay, he left on a stretcher to be replaced by Giles Barnes. Doncaster were never quite the same threat without their talismanic striker.

On 56 minutes, a real mix-up between Friend and Woods led to the Rovers 'keeper blasting the ball against Mackall-Smith. It could have gone anywhere but thankfully, it fell for Dumbuya to clear. Immediately afterwards, a flick-on from Barnes fell for Noone but he blazed probably the best chance of the game haplessly wide. It was now Rovers who couldn't keep hold of the ball while Brighton were looking more and more dangerous.

The substitution that changed the game came on 75 minutes with Will Buckley replacing Matty Sparrow. At the same time, Mason, who was staring to cramp, was exchanged for Kyle Bennett. In the 83rd minute, WILL BUCKLEY paid back the first installment of his million pound price-tag with a great drive from the edge of the area into Woods' bottom left corner. Brighton now had a win to push for.

Rovers withdrew a disappointing Coppinger for Sam Hird to shore things up but immediately afterwards wished they hadn't. A corner was played long to Naylor who headed back for Hayter to volley. The shot was deflected but of more concern was Hayter, obviously in pain after the effort. The stretcher was employed again to remove a second Rovers striker from the proceedings. Rovers were down to 10 men.

They couldn't hold on. Noone showed very clever feet 7 minutes into injury time and then played an inch-perfect pass to WILL BUCKLEY who's cool finish sealed the win.

Brighton deserved their victory but Rovers can take something from a great performance particularly in the first half. The injuries and having to finish up with 10 men showed us though, that perhaps we are not yet at peace with the football Gods.