A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

SkyBET Championship

5th October 2013

Brighton and Hove Albion (1)1
Crofts 31

Nottingham Forest (0)3
Lansbury 46 and 62(pen)
Henderson 60

Attendance: 27,755

League Position: 14th

On paper this was a Championship mismatch and so, eventually, it proved to be.

In the red corner Nottingham Forest with one of biggest player budgets in the Division. How they achieved this, without a Premiership parachute payment, and within the Financial Fair Play rules and given their level of support is something of a mystery. Answers please on a postcard to the Football League.

In the blue corner the Albion, whose challenge of remaining within the FFP rules is being compounded by injuries, many of them long term, to a quarter of the first team squad. 

By the end Forest's expensively acquired team of pace

Gully seeks comfort from a pumpkin spice latte

and power laced with Premiership experience saw them safely home but until the visitors' second goal in the 62nd minute the Albion were well in this game and could count themselves slightly unfortunate not to be ahead. 

The Albion edged the first half with LuaLua a constant threat as he drew regular fouls and bookings from Forest defenders. An early cross caused panic in the penalty area and a shot flew narrowly over. When the Albion played long balls down the wings for Buckley and LuaLua the Forest defenders struggled to cope and the opening goal came via this route. A long ball to Buckley down the left, played back to Ward whose cross was knocked across the area by Barnes for Crofts to stoop low to head his third of the season. 

Forest were reduced mainly to shots from distance which Kuszczak dealt with easily enough although there were plenty of reminders of their class and experience mainly from Reid and Lansbury.

As the 2nd half got underway the Albion just about had control of the game and it was for Forest to cope with the challenges and frustrations of chasing it.  It was vital the Albion did not concede early on and that was exactly what they did. A corner, perhaps needlessly given away, was headed powerfully home by the unmarked Lansbury as he pulled away from the defenders. 

For the next 10 minutes the Albion reduced the sometimes ponderous Forest defence to panic as they pressed for a 2nd goal. Barnes again won the ball in the air and from his header a Crofts' shot was deflected on to the post by Darlow. The ball was eventually scrambled away from in front of the goal. If that had gone in this could have been a  very different game.

Almost immediatley Forest broke away down their left and from a cross Henderson

drove the ball powerfully wide of Kuszczak.  Two minutes later Forest sealed victory when a Greer tackle gave Cox the opportunity to go down too easily and Lansbury buried the spot kick.

There was no way back for the Albion as the extent of the Forest squad became apparent as they brought on substitutes and defended in depth. The home team were reduced to long range shots but two efforts from Crofts and one from David Lopez did not really bother Darlow. LuaLua could have had a penalty when he appeared to be brought down in the area.

LuaLua continued to remain a threat and Forest continued to bring him down. Something which Chelsea loanee Chalobah did once too often and was dismissed by Mr. Pawson who has plenty of experience of dismissing players at the Amex.

The game petered out as the Albion ran out of steam and ideas and the 10-man Forest declined to attack. The game was summed up by the substitute strikers - Forest brought on Greg Halford and the Albion George Barker.

Forever the optimist, this could have been a very different game if the Albion could have called on Ulloa and CMS to put pressure on a sometimes uncertain defence, Orlandi's creativity and deadball skills and Bridcutt to counter Lansbury in midfield but, of course, they watched on in various states of repair. 

Another international break could not have come early

enough as it gives opportunity for the wounded to repair further and perhaps a loan striker to be secured.

As for Forest the only threat to their march to the play offs (or better) could be a side depleted by suspensions - yesterday they picked up 5 bookings and a sending off. But given the depth of their squad it may hardly matter.

REFEREE WATCH: To Mr. Pawson's credit he defended LuaLua from the persistent fouling much to the annoyance of the Forest bench. Quick to award a penalty when Cox went down and booked Darlow as punishment for the whole Forest team's time wasting towards the end.

MANAGER WATCH: This time Oscar turned out in splendid chinos and a finely cut blazer and remained unruffled as the whole Forest bench invaded his technical area finger pointing about the number of times LuaLua was tumbled to the turf.  Davies has clearly been eating too many Nottingham pies and his Holloway style celebration with the visiting fans at the end was way over the top. Perhaps it is evidence of how much pressure he is under to succeed given all that money he has been given?

ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: LuaLua received the sponsor's award (for the second game runnning) but I shall give it to ANDREW CROFTS. Given he is playing with an injury he was one of the Albion's most influential players. He was behind most of what was good. His head went in with the flying boots for the goal and he was desperately unlucky not to add a second.  He kept going until the end and I reckon had more shots than the rest of the team put together.