A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

SkyBET Championship

17th August 2013

Birmingham City (0)0

Brighton and Hove Albion (0)1
Crofts 73

Attendance: 14,885

League Position: 16th

Eat your heart out Gus Poyet! Oscar has now achieved something that eluded you - a victory over the boys from Brum. In Gus's 4 attempts to overcome City he had achieved only draws and defeats but the Albion saw them off yesterday more emphatically then the score might suggest.

This was the Albion's most complete performance of the season and was an all round team effort. Kuszczak looked sound, the defence for the most part untroubled, the midfield in control and Ulloa a right

handful up front.

Ward settled in well at left back and gave the back four a more solid feel and Andrews controlled centre midfield so well that Bridcutt was hardly missed.

More needs to be done but the team are clearly now going in the right direction. We should be converting more of the chances that are being created and for the second Saturday runnning looked off the pace at the start of the second half. But overall there was a confidence not previously seen this season which I suspect has a lot to do with the experience grafted into the team via Ward and Andrews.

The Albion could have been out of sight by half time as slick passing created several chances that were squandered. From a Buckley corner Ulloa forced Randolf into a good save low to his left, Agustein found himself free in the area but dithered over shooting and the chance went, Buckley drove straight at the keeper and, when put through by Lopez, Ulloa lost the space he was in trying to move the ball on to his right foot. 

Birmingham rarely threatened and were reduced to long range efforts that hardly bothered Kuszczak.

Concerns that the Albion might live to regret the missed chances seemed to becoming true when City came out all guns blazing for the second half. They played a more direct style, put the Albion under pressure and struck the woodwork twice with their only meaningful efforts all game. Shinnie and Novak had Kuszczcak floundering as they stuck the ball from distance.

But City flattered to deceive and could not maintain the momentum. The Albion regained control of midfield and began to create chances again. Randolf could only beat away a volley from Agustein and then on 73 minutes the Albion struck.

A fine passing movement through midfield - Forster-Caskey to Ulloa, a lay off to Agustein,

Kusczak collects a first half corner

a pass into the path of Crofts who stuck the ball sweetly beyond Randolf from just inside the area. A fine team goal.

Shortly afterwards the Albion were unlucky not to extend the lead further. A Forster-Caskey corner was headed powerfully down by Upson and Randolf somehow managed to block the ball on the line. Eventually Crofts drove the ball narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area.

Ince and Barnes came on to help defend the lead but for all City's efforts they rarely threatened to get on the score sheet. The Albion defence easily dealt with the age old tactic of getting the ball wide and lumping it to the far post.

Lee Clark was a picture in the technical area as he ran up and down, ranted at his players and looked fit to burst at any moment. In contrast Oscar was calm personified.

Oscar came over at the end to celebrate with the travelling fans - do not recall Gus ever doing that.

While the Albion remain a work in progress this game showed

City defend a second half corner

rich promise and with 2 home games coming up a chance to move up the table. 

MAGIC MOMENT: Midway through the first half the Albion completed a 20 plus passing movement down the right as they moved the ball from near their own penalty area up the pitch to eventually win a corner. It was a joy to watch.

REFEREE WATCH: Hardly noticed him which made a very pleasant change.

MAN OF MATCH: It could have been anyone of a number of players in a fine team effort but for me it goes to Keith Andrews. He marshalled the midfield, rarely gave the ball away and protected the back four.