Brighton 2 Arsenal 1
The BBC computer predicts that 37 points will be enough to survive and if so Brighton only need one more win. Yesterday in an enthralling match the spirit of the Seagulls over-powered a directionless Arsenal team full of skilful individuals but no esprit de corps. This was epitomised by the sight of Arsene Wemner spending most of the game not standing in his technical area as Chris Hughton was but slumped on the bench – a forlorn figure.
Arsenal had the better of the early exchanges but it was clear that their two central defenders Mustafi and Koscielny were vulnerable in the air. From a corner Shaun Duffy out-jumped the Arsenal defence, the ball fell loose and Lewis Dunk was on hand to fire home his first of the season.
Glenn Murray added the second with another header and his 14th of the season. In the closing minute of the half Aubamayang pulled one back. We expected an Arsenal onslaught in the second half but it never really came.
We were biting our fingernails in the final 10 minutes but the Seagulls’ defence held fast.
Arsenal could bring on an England international in Danny Welbeck and there is pace throughout the side but no real end product. At the final whistle “Good Old Sussex By The Sea” was played and the crowd joined in lustily. In the great Rust debate this was an occasion to be there not watch on tv.
Finally a word on Sussex CCC. With the Indian batsman Sharma, the Afghan Rashid Khan who played so well for Adelaide in the Big Bash coached by Dizzy Gillespie now appointed at Sussex, and the in-form Jefro Archer there is much to look forward to and the club made a profit of over £300,000 last year. In the appointing in the past of head coaches Mark Robinson and Mark Davis who played in the golden era of the noughties, Sussex were looking backwards but with Rob Andrew as Chief Executive and the incoming personnel we are better equipped to meet the challenges that a traditional county club with no test venue and without a venue in the new T20 franchise will encounter.
