Bristol Rovers - Home, Withdean Era
Season 12 (H) 20/11/10 - 2-2 ~ og, Wood.
Things had been more than a little bit different at good old Withers this season. For a kick-off, Albion were unbeaten here in League1 and probably oughta have a 100% record to boot. Gus Poyet's new-look passing team were clear table toppers and only suffered a second defeat over all, away at Hartlepool last week. More bad news from the distant north-east included a 3 match ban for Liam Bridcutt and broken ankle for Kaz LuaLua. More stern tests lay ahead in Nov and Dec, so Poyet needed a revised game plan to hold on to a six point cushion as leaders. He signed Chris Wood on loan a day before this fixture but otherwise stuck with tried and tested selections and methods. Albion shaped like 4132 and went off in search of goals.
Against run of play, Rovers opened the scoring inside half an hour. From a corner they powered in a header that took a deflection past Ankergren (24 min). In the second period B'ton picked up the tempo and retained possession while looking for an opening. Just over the hour mark, Painters cross was turned in by deflated Gas defence (62m). GP swapped two guys immediately with Smith and Murray pushing on in search of a winner. Muzza got floored in the area and new boy Wood smashed home the spot kick (73m). Greer then went off on a sickie for an early bath. Albion poured forward and shoulda notched again but didn't. We paid the price in stoppage, when from another corner, Painter headed past our dispairing keeper (90+3). This hadn't been the only late goal at W'dean but we'd chucked two points away again, like against Rochdale and Bournemouth. Gus wasn't that pleased, although he knew that footy is as unpredictable as any political plan subject to market forces. Over 7400 turned up and saw the big soccer society in action. We hoped there wouldn't be cuts in the 2011 BHA budget.
Ankergren, Calderon, Greer (Elphick), El-Abd, Painter, Bennett, Kishishev, Dicker, Battipiedi (Smith), Wood, Barnes (Murray).
League1 P 17 . W 10 D 5 L 2 . F 30 A 13 . Pt 35 Po 1

Season 11 (H) 24/4/10 - 2-1 ~ Barnes, Bennett
Bizarrely, this return fixture was all but the last one at Withdean for '9/10 - see below. Micky Adams was a distant memory and even his replacement Russ Slade was long gone. Gus Poyet got to be boss under chairmanship of Tony Bloom, while Falmer was a huge building site next to busy roads, alongside a duck pond. Shedloads of players had come and gone in two seasons. Lynch, Fraser and Thomson were let go in '09. Ipswich loanee Richards went elsewhere. Mayo finished when injured prior to pre-season but Hart remained. McLeod and Livermore left in '10, while Hawkins was permanently and Kuipers temporarily, crocked. Forster and Whing went out on loan too. Elphick was still a regular but Virgo wasn't and Cox couldn't get a game or a contract anyway. Nothing changes and everything changes, except poor home form. But at least weather was set fair and so we hoped was Albion's future. Nearly 7k turned out on a sunny afternoon.
Rovers opened the scoring early doors, when Albion were ball watching all over the shop (11 mins). Seagulls swooped quickly to restore parity when Barnes latched on to a long clearance and unleashed a sure shot (17m). Then the match went a bit flat and wasn't exactly fun in the sun. Murray came on with an hour gone but he was off again inside another ten mins, to a straight red (71m) for violent conduct. Dicker subbed and we huffed and puffed. Then a Rover got marching orders for two yellows (78m). B'ton attacked and tried to nick it with 10 v 10 for last 10 mins plus stoppage. Deep into Fergie time (90+6) Bennett scored from the spot following Barnes floored entering the area. So it didn't all end in tears but hey, life ain't perfect in div3 is it?
Brezovan, Hoyte, Elphick, El-Abd, Painter, Bennett, Crofts, Navarro (Arismendi), Hendrie (Dicker), Holroyd (Murray), Barnes
League1 P 44 . W 14 D 13 L 17 . F 55 A 60 . Pt 55 Po 13

Season 10 (H) 16/8/08 - 1-1 ~ Forster
Entering a decade at our temporary residence for '08/9 and Micky Adams was back for this opening home fixture. Talk about the good old days of 1999-2001! Dean Wilkins declined to stay on as coach after Dick Knight wanted a manager who would get us into play-offs, at least before Falmer materialised and so elected to offer out of work Adams a job. Bob Booker also returned, as reserve team coach. Guy Butters, Paul Reid, David Martot, Sam Rents and a few kids had gone. Adams then got in Adam Virgo again, plus Colin Hawkins, David Livermore and Kevin McLeod with Matt Richards back on loan. Kerry Mayo and Gary Hart were taken on as well, having been released in Wilkins cull but trained with Albion in pre-season. Murray was suspended, McLeod and El-Abd injured, therefore a couple of enforced changes gave Brighton a slightly different look to day1. 6200 turned up which seemed ok.
Ref gave us a dream start by pointing to the spot after 10 mins, when Forster was bundled over with the ball. Our captain duly netted the penalty and we all sat back to await another half decent winning performance. As teams trooped off at half time on a muggy afternoon, even a few Rovers fans were off before players for a cold drink, to aleviate boredom, stretch minds and legs. The second period was dire and Adams introduced Virgo up front on the hour. We went route one because nothing got down flanks to any effect. B'ton was grinding it out, while Rovers actually appeared to be putting some footy together. On 85 min Ref pointed to the spot a second time. Apparently he felt rules had been broken but to us he'd made some up. Kuipers, who'd been beat by a crossbar-striking free kick, went the wrong way. In fairness he'd already kept us in this awful contest with a finger-tip save onto a post. Adams shook up midfield but Albion fans didn't care and were leaving in droves soon after.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Hawkins, Livermore, Cox (Lynch), Thomson, Virgo, Richards, Hart (Fraser), Forster
League1 P 2 . W 1 D 1 L 0 . F 3 A 2 . Pt 4 Po 4

Season 9 (H) 6/10/07 - 0-0
It was our first meeting in the Withdean era, on a warm October afternoon with 5800 punters sitting in the sun - well those in the north and east stands anyway. The pitch was about as perfect as you could get in a long season that included climate change and global warming. Hope Falmer would look so green and sustainable when we get there three years from this date. In the meantime it was open-air entertainment for visitors to north Brighton suburbs, though pleasant enough in these circumstances.
Mr Knight had aspirations of a top ten finish to improve on last term and if possible play-offs. This obviously put pressure on Wilkins and his coaching team, who had been joined by Barry LLoyd as a super scout. Big buy Forster was injured and so naughty boy Robinson got to start up front. He was not known to be shy and retiring and we needed somebody to take it to Bristol so to speak. Jake did everything but score, having been dropped previously for a training ground 'incident'. B'ton huffed and puffed but couldn't get past Rovers custodian, who wore a cap as the sun set. He saved point blank from Revell and saw any number of chances go over, around, across and by the posts or crossbar. We kept a third clean sheet in a week but shortage of goals was giving Wilko sleepless nights as the table began to reveal who was picking up precious points and who was dropping 'em.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Butters (El-Abd), Richards, O'Callaghan, Hammond, Cox, Revell (Elder), Robinson.
League 1 P 10 . W 4 D 2 L 4 . F 12 A 10 . Pt 14 Po 9

Season 6 (H) 24/8/04 League Cup - 1-2 ~ Butters
League Cup round 1 contests are usually held on a weekday evening in late August and involve teams from the Championship and Leagues 1&2. In the Withdean Era to date we'd had Gillingham, Millwall, Wimbledon and Ipswich. BHA had drawn Bristol Rovers for a second year on the bounce but this time they visited us. The divisional stuff had hardly got going anyway and often on a warm, if not balmy night there was a bit of light relief afoot. A promotion to regain Championship status, via a Millennium Stadium final was still fresh to mind but in truth, Mr McGhee hadn't intended to stick with the old squad anyway. Chris Iwelumo had done a runner but McGhee wasn't unduly phased. He wanted to invest in youth and develop potential accordingly. He'd brought in Maheta Molango from continental soccer and Albert Jarrett from up the road at Lewes - both signed for 3 years. Darren Currie joined for a year from Wycombe and Alexis Nicolas came on loan from Chelsea. McGhee said, 'it is a chance to get a win under our belts and progress to the second round of this competition. I think from a confidence perspective I'd like the team to show that they have moved up a level from last season.'
Rovers turned out in a black strip with yellow back and sash. It could have been sunset pink in the circumstances. Eleven minutes later they were a goal behind when Butters back-headed a Currie corner. For twenty-five minutes Albion had looked ok. Then Bristol equalised and five minutes later we went tits-up as they pirated a lead. This tie continued for a further hour and both three-year wonders were substituted. Albion tried but didn't score again and we'd been done up - by a plundering League 2 outfit. McGhee said, 'I make no bones about it (he really did say that) we should have not lost that game, regardless of our current situation. We gifted two goals and were entitled not to be happy with those. What we do this season will be done largely with the players we already have. We are exactly what we are. What we can do is work hard to improve fitness, understanding and develop this young squad.' Perhaps his statement and sentiment was spot-on but alarm bells rang, on one summer eve before a sinking sun and pint had dimmed senses.
Kuipers, Virgo, Cullip, Butters, Harding, Currie, Hinshelwood, Nicolas, Jarrett (Jones), Molango (Robinson), Knight.

Bristol Rovers - Away, Withdean Era
Season 12 (A) 5/2/11 - 4-2 ~ Barnes, Bennett, og, Murray
We went there this time in mid-winter, rather than spring or summer. But although weather wasn't as good, Brighton's season was pretty sunny so far. Gus Poyet had taken BHA to top of league1 with a useful side, playing passing football. El-Abd, Bennett and Dicker survived and thrived from '9/10 team, while Elphick was a vital squad cog on the bench. Meanwhile, Tunnicliffe was on season loan to Rovers, who were having a dismal campaign. Ex-gaffer Slade went to Orient with Cox and ex-BHA striker Revell and had lately signed Whing from Seagulls too. Hart was still part of our squad, although Forster had long since departed to Brentford (see Orient away). Brighton had a half decent record at Bristol in league1 and needed more points here in order to hold off the chasing pack. Hey, we were going to Falmer in merely seven months time. It was wet and windy and over 1000 Brighton fans turned up in a gate of 6k odd.
Rovers went ahead early doors to a wind assisted snap shot (2min). Albion controlled the rest of this one sided affair using 433 but took ages to equalise. Barnes levelled from inside the area from Wood's square pass (38m). In the second period, Bennett slotted home following a flowing counter (52m). Then Rovers hit the post trying to get back into it. Their luck was right out because when Barnes drive was parried by goalie, a defender scored for us (73m). This sank Pirates and Murray added a headed fourth from Noone's spot-on cross (79m). Gas lit a very late flame via a solo consolation (86m). Stats showed we snuffed 'em out and our pressure counted, while they were left on the back burner. We sure were cooking.
Ankergren, Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Painter, Bennett, Bridcutt, Dicker, Wood (Noone), Murray (Sandaza), Barnes
League1 P 27 . W 15 D 8 L 4 . F 48 A 21 . Pt 53 Po 1

Season 11 (A) 26/9/09 - 1-1 ~ Tunnicliffe
It was a fantastic afternoon weatherwise in the west country. There had been a dry summer in Sussex and Falmer was being built at speed, before those rains came during winter. Plenty of B'fans got to quirky Mem Stad to sunbathe on terraces, or cool in the shared stand. We'd had mixed fortunes on the road, although a hopeless home record as usual had held Seagulls grounded in lower reaches above to d-z. Russ Slade knew what he wanted from a mixed squad of various ability but we had to gel eventually or go down.
Brighton held Bristol to nil-nil at h-t and probably were the better side for 45 opening minutes. Then Virgo had a rush of blood prior to half time, got booked twice for rash challenges and didn't appear thereafter. So, die was cast but would you Adam & Eve it, Albion scored first. Tunnicliffe powered home a header from Davies corner (56m) to put us ahead - although increase Gas pressure. They had to score twice to win and we had to keep it clean. On 68m Rovers equalised with a soft tap-in following a low cross. Russ Slade threw in Cox and Hart in later stages to ease punnishment in defence. B'ton held out and even Ref couldn't find a way to give the home unit a freebie before end of stoppage.
Kuipers, Virgo, Elphick, Tunnicliffe, El-Abd, Bennett, Crofts, Dicker, Davies (Cox), Forster (Hart), Dickinson (Wright).
League1 P 9 . W 2 D 3 L 4 . F 10 A 17 . Pt 9 Po 21

Season 10 (A) 21/4/09 - 2-1 ~ Owusu, Andrew
This match was listed for March3 but on the nite, it pi$$ed hard and Ref called it off. Brighton fans had travelled there and were pi$$ed off too. And that was apart from a big difference seen in another year on and also for those eleven blokes on the pitch - see below. After the '08 Rovers fixture, Wilkins went and then his replacement Adams had also disappeared in Feb '09. A big hole swallowed BHA form for '08/9 and one opened up at Falmer too. So many players had come and gone, you couldn't remember all their names. Albion had been in something of an injury crisis as well, apart from being in the bottom three and facing the drop to boot. Dick Knight wanted a seventh new W'dean manager and got in Slade to keep us up. It was a cool nite but nearly 700 B'fans got to Horfield for this showdown.
Brighton couldn't seem to get going, although away fans were in good voice. It came as no real surprise to fall behind (28 min) following lack of possession in m-f. Rovers opened us up and FDM got to it but was nutmegged and beat. On 43m, Hart did well to cut-in and give Owusu a chance from close. Then Cox was kicked up in the air and replaced by Andrew just before h-t with even-steven. Soon after restart Andrew headed home Hart's cross and Albion led (52m) with plenty of time left. Rovers had a go but BHA held most attacks without too much trouble. We also got opportunities to break and put attacking subs on to replace battle worn front runners. Albion saw it out and those of us on the terrace had been there on a night to remember.
Kuipers, Hinshelwood, Virgo, Elphick, Borrowdale, Loft, Fraser, Dicker, Cox (Andrew), Hart (McLeod), Owusu (Davies)
League1 P 44 . W 12 D 12 L 20 . F 52 A 68 . Pt 48 Po 19

Season 9 (A) 26/4/08 - 2-0 ~ Westlake, Murray
It was the last away game of this season and on Friday night beforehand, Leeds also went to the West Country. They needed to win to secure a p-o place and make sure we couldn't. They beat Yeovil 0-1, so we got to Rovers already knowing our fate. All the same it was a nice sunny, warm afternoon and over 800 travelling support made the trip. Brighton were in reasonable form but over course of a full season were a result or two short of hitting a k-o target. There hadn't been that extended unbeaten H/A run, so necessary for consistency. Nevertheless we were gonna finish as a top-ten outfit and Mr Knight probably woulda settled for such back in August.
It looked all over a nil-nil with plenty of dashing around but no cutting edge. We had the ball, then they had the ball. We lost the ball, then they lost the ball. Everything was going through motions and a lot of that was up in the air too. Rovers had a season to forget but we couldn't seemingly take advantage. The home unit had nowt to play for and minds might have been on next year when groundsharing while the Mem was blitzed. Anyway with twenty minutes left Albion started to put things together at long last. Racon raced down the wing and slung one over to drop in the area. There was a scramble and Westlake first hit bar/post before converting a half clearance (71 min). Three minutes later Cox crossed for Murray to find space and use his head (74 min). Kuipers kept us in the match with a couple of useful saves and he got a clean sheet to boot. In a pretty mundane match, Albion did string one or two moves together which gave hope for next term. This was Wilkins best line-up to date but three were on-loan players and we needed a similar permanent level of ability, especially if anticipating elevation to top-six and its delights.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Lynch, Richards, Cox, Racon, Thomson, Westlake, Murray (Gatting), Forster (Gargan).
League1 P 45 . W 19 D 12 L 14 . F 58 A 49 . Pt 69 Po 7

Season 5 (A) 12/8/03 League Cup - 1-0 ~ McPhee
A tough relegation battle had been lost in the final couple of games during last April. Or perhaps it was actually before that because BHA took 16 points from those last 11 games, since defeat to close rivals Stoke but still couldn't overhaul them at the death. Steve Coppell said, 'this season is a real crossroads, not only on the pitch but off it. A positive outcome would give the club real direction and without doubt the impetus and income necessary to be successful in the modern game. I am confident over the next ten months we can re-establish ourselves as a force in this division.' Zamora and Brooker had gone, while Leon Knight and Darius Henderson had joined on loan. Ingimarsson went back to Wolves but Blackwell did his knee, thus Butters got hold of his place. Beasant went off somewhere coaching keepers and Ben Roberts came back for gloves permanently. Kitson disappeared, so to did Barrett. The rest were about the place as usual.
Brighton played in black at Bristol, you know, the one with a spread-winged Seagull swooping on the chest. Rovers were up against it and quartered but not quite hung or drawn. They took the game to Albion and tested new keeper Roberts on a number of occasions. Hinshelwood was tried at the back and appeared to be breaking into the first eleven along with McPhee. Coppell wasn't especially known for throwing kids in directly and even in an early cup-tie of no real consequence, had Carpenter and Pethick on the bench with Kuipers. Jones got sent off just before tea and Mr C reshaped but kept two front men on for most of the second half. McPhee nicked a lead for digging-in invaders, when producing a bicycle-kick as Albion wanted er, a rally. Rovers huffed and puffed but couldn't break or blow us down. Away fans in the region of 500 did their bit, on that open corner terrace, watched over by 5000 west-country gas-heads. It was like the old n-w corner of the Goldstone but without a salty gale in yer face. Hey, Brighton were in round 2 at last.
Roberts, Watson, Cullip, Hinshelwood, Mayo, Hart, Oatway (Carpenter), Rodger, Jones, Knight, McPhee (Harding).