Wrexham - Home
Season 5 (H) 29/11/03 - 2-0 ~ Piercy, Carpenter
For the first time in a long time, since capacity was raised anyway, a sub 6000 crowd took to the athletics tack all-seater to witness a Withdean fixture. Shock, horror and could it possibly mean the shape of things to come if Brighton weren't up to it. Dick Knight said, 'we also have to contend with what I call the Steve Sidwell factor. Top players we're trying to attract will always weigh up our humble surroundings against playing in a super modern stadium. I would love to sign cheques that would give Mark McGhee more spending power right now. Over 6200 supporters have taken trouble to write letters to John Prescott in support of the project. I'm told a delegation from our Falmer for all tea will be heading for 10 Downing Street on Monday to present letters and a petition.'
A steady stream of Seagulls off-spring was being allowed to fly with the big boys (or birds) McGhee was not afraid to put youth in where it hurt and had brought El-Abd forward. He thus joined Hinshelwood, McPhee, Harding and Robinson as recent home-grown prospects. Talking of a flow of events, there was constant rain during this match - which made conditions tricky. Wrexham came to town boasting a useful away record but didn't master judging pace and control as well as Albion. They were one of those less forceful sides to visit Tongdean Lane green belt and never posed a severe attacking threat. Piercy scored a beauty on 11 min to put himself in marksmans lists and Brighton crucially in front. His reflex snap shot surprised us all and many still remember. Just over the hour, Carpenter struck a left foot lob that beat goalies reach and also tucked in nicely. Defence was ok and helped by midfield. With one central m-fielder wanting to be behind the ball and one in front, gave a tidy system with moving from possession in to all-out attacking.
Roberts, El-Abd, Cullip, Butters, Mayo, Piercy (Hart), Carpenter, Yeates, Jones, Knight (Pethick), McPhee (Harding).
Div 2 (League 1) P 20 . W 10 D 4 L 6 . F 31 A 23 . Pt 34 Po 3

Season 3 (H) 23/2/02 - 0-0
Taylor said, 'we played against Wrexham - a team fighting for their lives at the other end of the table. They are under pressure and came with a specific game plan and full credit to them. They were very difficult to break down and in the end both teams cancelled each other out.' Albion had registered their third draw at home but was the first time this season they had failed to score there in div2. In other competitions at Withdean, defeat to Southampton on the night of 9/11 and then Preston in chilly January had shown us what could lie ahead if and when reaching div1. That level of opposition in League Cup and FA Cup respectively had blunted an otherwise sharp edged goal machine in regular league fixtures. Taylor didn't seem unduly worried by dropping two 'easy' points. Zamora was now suspended for three matches after previously being rashly 'rested' and then sent off, all on the same day. He got to put his feet up anyhow and would surely come back anyway full of fire and as Taylor knew, firepower. McPhee filled in for BZ and perhaps there was the real difference. Zamora had hit 10 goals in consecutive matches from the end of October to just before Xmas. That was no mean feat from a guy with consistently er, two mean feet. How many 1-0, Zamora score-lines would see us through from div3 to div2, to hopefully div1 and all?
There were other people scoring points in the ongoing stadium debate, raging between politicians of our pro Falmer unitary authority and those antis from parish, district and county councils. Brighton & Hove were responsible for planning considerations but other forces massing across the border, were beginning to turn it into a war of words and one that involved substantial bodies. Leader of B&H council said, 'we don't want a wait of years. That would be no good for the club, council or objectors.' Lord Bassam said, 'Village Way North should bring a major economic benefit to the city. The puzzle is that other key areas of benefit such as Lewes and East Sussex cannot see this as well. Reports going back over more than a decade all pointed to the value of this site.'
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan, Pethick, Hart (Lee), Melton (Steele), Carpenter, Lewis, Brooker, McPhee.
Div 2 (League 1) P 34 . W 18 D 11 L 5 . F 46 A 33 . Pt 65 Po 2

Wrexham - Away
Season 5 (A) 8/5/04 - 2-0 ~ Iwelumo, og
Nearly 1000 tribal travellers went into Wales to actually support Wrexham fans in an internal and now international battle with their Board. Brighton fans were used to being back among small crowds this season but as the Racecourse Ground is a half decent stadium, the place seemed more than a tad empty. Never mind there was far from an end of season feel as a prospect of at least two more contests pervaded thoughts of mere points tallies. McGhee put out his strongest eleven and had experienced backup on the bench. He said, 'we must remain determined to win at Wrexham to have any chance of finishing in the top four and gaining home advantage in the second leg of the play-off semi-final.'
BHA were able to play in b&w, with blue shorts and socks as at Bristol and at last we'd gotten rid of unlucky yellow. Eight minutes into this Welsh final curtain rehearsal, Virgo was well forward with a header from a Cullip free kick. Iwelumo stole in to score via the crossbar. Wrexham came into it more before an interval for away day protest among other activities. Roberts was in good form and added yet another clean sheet, as an impressive rearguard held firm. Early into the second 45 min a headed og sealed every-ones fate for another season.
Brighton had been grinding out results during the run-in. Maybe luck that registered as bad back in depressing depths of winter had taken an about turn come springtime visits abroad. We'd lost 11 fixtures up and down Nationwide but only two away since a St Valentine's Day shafting at grim Grimsby. Goal scoring was a slight worry but the front pair had got seven goals from twelve in ten games since Iwelumo signed. That gave us at least a goal a game average, against half a goal conceded. Over those two p-o semi-finals that was equivalent to a winning 2-1 aggregate!
Roberts, Virgo, Cullip, Butters, Harding, Hart (McPhee), Reid, Oatway, Jones (Piercy), Knight, Iwelumo (El-Abd).
Div 2 (League 1) P 46 . W 22 D 11 L 13 . F 64 A 43 . Pt 77 Po 4

Season 3 (A) 14/9/01 - 2-1 ~ Zamora 2
Three days after earth shattering news of 9/11, BHA went up to north Wales. An Albion fan, Robert Eaton died in the disaster of the twin towers collapse. He was about as far away as any exile could be but kept in touch with Seagulls in real time via the internet. His memory lived on in annual football matches arranged and played by supporters of Brighton and Crystal Palace. Micky Adams said, 'while we had to get on and continue with football, we were all very mindful of the horrific events in New York last week and it affected us deeply. The thoughts and prayers of everybody connected with the club are with his family at this tragic time.'
Adams selected to put out a shape that had been prevalent in div3, where Zamora roved up front alone. It depended on mid-field getting forward in support at times when Albion were holding it up, rather than just holding. There was also a kind of lower league atmosphere because being a Friday night, only 3 thousand Welsh and 400 odd southern softies had bothered, or been able to turn up. Nevertheless Albion devoted made the best of it in the circumstances, especially around the last half hour. Those dragons in red put one past blue and white stripes, which was fair return for a majority of possession and pressure. Adams made a double substitution to inject some attacking impetus, if not to say pace. However two set pieces finished by Zamora quickly won it for Albion. That old Watson - Zamora free kick routine provided a first goal away. The second was a penalty that BZ duly converted. He actually got another one but this didn't register, not having rippled the net to Ref's complete satisfaction. Adams said, 'we are not going to get carried away. It's a marathon not a sprint, although this year we have been quicker off the blocks.'
Kuipers, Watson, Wicks, Morgan, Mayo, Hart (Steele), Pitcher (Rogers), Carpenter, Oatway, Jones (Brooker), Zamora.
Div 2 (League 1) P 7 . W 4 D 2 L 1 . F 10 A 5 . Pt 14 Po 4