Post Match report for the Aston Villa game - Wednesday, 3rd December 2025
PREMIER LEAGUE 25/26: Brighton V Villa - 3/12/25 P14
* * * * * NOT GOOD ENOUGH * * * * *
RESULT: 3-4 ~ van Hecke 2, og . (h-t 2-2)
VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - seventh home match of 14 fixtures to date . Wed 7:30pm.
BEFORE KICKOFF: December arrived and with it an evening kickoff as per FA scheduling for beginning the very busy Yuletide month.
Brighton fans would also be here this coming Sunday and again on the Saturday prior to Xmas Day festivities.
WEATHER: mild . GATE: tba . ATMOSPHERE: got what we deserved when luck runs out.
FABIAN HURZELER had experienced first-hand a reversal last term against an outfit many considered our bogey side.
FH directed attention towards the moment rather than plot another cunning plan for revenge over previous assailants.
SQUAD: 14 Watson 20 Milner 22 Mitoma 38 McGill (gk)
INJURED: 10 Rutter 26 Ayari . REHAB: 4 Webster 7 March
OOL: 3 Julio 16 Cashin 28 Ferguson 32 Sarmiento 33 ORiley 39 Rushworth (gk) 40 Buonanotte
STARTING SHAPE: 4-2-3-1
TEAM . . . . . . . . . 1 Verbruggen
. 27 Wieffer 6 van Hecke 5 Dunk 24 Kadioglu
. 11 Minteh 17 Baleba 25 Gomez 29 de Cuyper
. . . . . 8 Gruda . . . 9 Tzimas
SUBS: 13 Hinshelwood (24), 18 Welbeck (67), 19 Kostoulas (77), 34 Veltman (77)
BENCH: 23 Steele 21 Boscagli 42 Coppola 49 Knight 58 Oriola
GOALS:
1-0 - 09 . VAN HECKE is in the mix at a corner to take the final touch from assist by Wieffer.
2-0 - 29 . Hinshelwood pushes up field and strikes a ball from Gruda which deflects off a defender for an og.
2-1 - 37 . visitors play direct football and open up a lacklustre defence sitting sluggishly on a two goal lead.
2-2 - 45 . the England striker doubles his total against a side he finds again defensively frail to kick & rush.
2-3 - 60 . travellers net from a set piece with a simple conversion at the back post.
2-4 - 78 . the away unit win the game when opening up a failing & ineffectual blue & white rearguard.
3-4 - 83 . VAN HECKE gets a surprising brace on the night when regular attackers draw blanks all round.
YELLOWS: Verbruggen 45+9, Gomez 85
CHANGES: 24 Hinshelwood for Tzimas . 67 Welbeck for Kadioglu
77 Kostoulas & Veltman for Gruda & Baleba
FIRST HALF: hosts somewhat fortunately go two ahead inside half an hour.
Travellers take over initiative and go into the interval on level terms.
A scrappy forty-five minutes with almost unbelievably four goals scored.
SECOND HALF: the away outfit lead on the hour mark.
And add a fourth late in the day.
Locals next net a consolation.
IN THE END: a late rally came to nowt and Seagulls got defeated by a side further forward in nous, quality and depth.
NUMBERS: poss 56%-44%, on target 7-10, off target 9-4, corners 5-6,
fouls 10-9, yellows 2-2, subs 4-5, shape 4231-4231 . . . . . gd4 pt22 po7
FS
BROWSING: via Stats page tabs -
all History & Travel, Squad, Archive - players, plus updated Clubs records.
