Brighton 2 Swindon Town 1 

Coca-Cola League One

 

RESULT: Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Swindon Town 1

 

Brighton scorer: N Forster 12, 66

Swindon scorer: C Easton 8

 

The Withdean stadium isn't a happy hunting ground for Town fans.

 

Four years on from Swindon's crushingly disappointing play-off defeat the last time they visited, this loss had all the hallmarks of that rainy day in 2004.

 

A game where Town took a deserved lead - only to see it evaporate as the home side took their chances from set-pieces to snatch victory, thus ending promotion hopes.

 

If you were at both games, you're probably thinking the same: Oh well, next season, then eh?

 

 

Watch Brighton v Town Clip

courtesy of YouTube

 

We must be masochists - but just to jog your memory (if it needs it) we thought we'd show the clip from from 2004 when Brighton score in the last seconds of extra-time. Unbelievable!

 

Consistency

 

Maurice Malpas named an unchanged starting eleven as he looked to build upon last weekend's encouraging performance against Carlisle.

The only changes that were made by the Swindon boss being the recall of Billy Paynter and Barry Corr to the bench for the trip to the south coast.

Town made an impressive start with Blair Sturrock on target for the visitors early on.

Swindon capitalised on their early dominance when Craig Easton was on hand at the back post to squeeze home Jon-Paul McGovern's corner.

However, Town weren't ahead long as the vastly experienced Nicky Forster grabbed an equaliser for the home side minutes later.

Forster was initially fouled on the edge of the Town area by Michael Timlin, and from the resulting free-kick was on hand to head home Dean Cox's pin-point cross.

 

Chances

Both sides had a number of chances to take a lead into the half-time break in some very difficult conditions, but neither side could find the killer blow.

Town started the second-half similar to the first, with much the better of the possession and the chances – with Simon Cox having the best of the chances 10 minutes after the restart.

Brighton forced their way back into the game with some dogged attacking play and were handed the opportunity to take the lead just past the hour mark.

And, once again, it was Forster causing all the problems.

 

The diminiutive striker this time fouled on the edge on the area, before electing to take the free-kick himself.

 

A superb effort that was curled expertly into the Town goal via Phil Smith's right-hand post.

 

A goal that the Town players had no reply to.

 

The freezing temperatures and intermittent sleat only adding to their - and Swindon fans - misery.

 

Town fall to 15th.

The League One Table

 

1 Swansea 38 35 78
2 Doncaster 38 21 68
--------------------------
3 Carlisle 36 19 68
4 Nottm Forest 37 24 62
5 Southend 38 9 59
6 Tranmere 39 9 59
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7 Walsall 37 12 56
8 Leyton Orient 38 -4 56
9 Brighton 37 7 55
10 Leeds 37 25 54
11 Northampton 39 3 54
12 Oldham 38 8 53
13 Hartlepool 38 2 49
14 Huddersfield 38 -15 49
15 Swindon 37 1 48
16 Yeovil 39 -14 48
17 Bristol Rovers 35 -2 45
18 Millwall 38 -14 43
19 Cheltenham 38 -18 43
20 Crewe 38 -18 40
---------------------------
21 Gillingham 37 -28 36
22 Bournemouth 38 -17 29
23 Luton 37 -14 28
24 Port Vale 39 -31 26

NEXT GAME

 

Southend (h)

Monday 24 March 2008, 3.00pm

Coca-Cola League One