Hereford - Home, Withdean Era
Season 10 (H) 18/10/08 - 0-0
The club we effectively sent into Conferency footy in 1997 had returned and were welcomed at Withdean. BHA had a few probs themselves in over ten years since setting up home at a converted sports complex but hey, it beats residential repossession. Mr Knight was still at the tiller and Falmer was just over the horizon. Micky Adams knew all about dark days at Gillingham and was back to navigate a route into the Championship. The trouble was Brighton were struggling to win a fixture recently, especially at home. He'd had injury and other probs with the revolution2 squad but got Robbie Savage in to work miracles. Anyway it was a beautiful day, so Withdeanites at least stayed dry.
Brighton opened up playing as if it was mere moments away from us putting in the first of a hatful. But the minutes ticked by and nowt happened. United were useless on the road, having lost five but kept Albion to nil-nil at half time. On the hour Adams had seen enough and switched it about. Virgo went to right back in lieu of Whing and Anyinsah moved up front. McLeod replaced Cox and Thornton was new playmaker. Savage faded from prominence but did show touches of class in quality passing. He won a few balls and didn't give it away much. Albion pressed Bulls but they were predictably hard to shift. They had chances but couldn't nick one. Late in this frustrating fixture Ref turned down a stone-bonker pen for BHA. Adams musta wished for 1999 all over again. You remember, we didn't draw here at first.
Kuipers, Whing (Thornton), El-Abd, Hawkins, Richards, Anyinsah, Savage, Thomson, Cox (McLeod), Virgo, Murray.
League1 P 11 . W 2 D 6 L 3 . F 13 A 16 . Pt 12 Po 17
no previous meetings in the Withdean era.
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Hereford - Away, Withdean Era
Season 10 (A) 7/4/09 - 2-1 ~ Fraser, Owusu
It was well over a decade before visiting Edgar Street once again. Unfortunately the Feb fixture was snowed off, so we had to wait a little longer. Like Hereford had, Brighton also went up in intervening years but back down again, to eventually meet 'em in League1. Micky Adams returned to BHA since resigning in 2001 and was doing another rebuilding job like that for 1999. He inherited a reasonable squad and added 5 summer signings. However things fell apart quickly after a good start and he was forced to bring plenty of players in on loan. Then at the Jan '09 transfer window, MA finally got to select from additions and create his own team. Birchall, Jarrett, Carole, Andrew (loan), McNulty and Davies all arrived to kick-start revolution2 - with Albion kinda hovering over the drop zone. Next thing, Adams was gone before end of Feb and we were in the bottom four. Therefore if not exactly sudden death, this game was still very important to respective clubs. It was a cool, breezy evening but remained dry for this encounter in the dark.
Slade went with a diamond in m-f and caught Bulls napping with his tactics. B'ton bossed the first forty-five and went ahead early, which was handy in the circumstances. Whing floated over a f-k, Owusu rose and Fraser did an overhead kick to score (9 min) for rising Seagulls. Hereford were bad but better second period. Brighton held them but couldn't increase on our lead. Slade got Hart on for Davies (70) who done good and hit the bar from range. El-Abd shored up m-f and BHA went forward. Hart assisted Owusu to notch (75m) with a dink into space. We shoulda had three too but you know what it's been like on travels and this was luxury and all. United won a late penalty which FDM duly saved. But the ball went up and bodies were having a go as it fell to a white-shirt who fancied a punt. Michel didn't move and musta been unsighted (90+). Seconds afterwards it was finished and about 300 B&W faithful celebrated a vital victory, with still plenty to play for by Easter's end.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Virgo, Borrowdale, Brichall, Dicker, Fraser (El-Abd), Cox, Davies (Hart), Owusu (McLeod).
League1 P 40 . W 9 D 12 L 19 . F 44 A 63 . Pt 39 Po 22
no previous meetings in the Withdean era.
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