Brighton 3 Reading 0
Brighton’s victory Saturday night took us to the summit of Championship which position will be tested next Tuesday with the biggest game of the season in the Championship when Newcastle come a-calling.
It was a typical cagey opening start. Sam Baldock hit the post with a twenty yard curling dive that struck the post and then opened up Brighton’s account when he brought down a high ball and hit it home from close in. Baldock is one of the assets of Brighton this term after looking last season a striker out of his depth in the Championship. His game changed after a long shot against Fulham got us back in the game. He is in form with 2 goals at Barnsley last week and now starts ahead of Tomer Hemed in a healthy competition for the strikers’ place. Pargie texted that the Racing Post had recommended him as first goals corer at 5-1 which I duly backed.
As with most games there was a tipping and turning point. Thus came when Shaun Duffy cleared the all off the line a Danny Williams shot. The ball went up the other end and Jamie Murphy, who had a fine game, chipped home to make it a 2 goal lead. Knockaert added a third and a rocking Amex was eagerly expecting the visit of the Magpies.
My intelligent neighbour and I are now assessing which player is good enough for the Premier: David Stockdale, who is out of contract, the Duffy/Dunk combo, Solly March, Anthony Knockaert, Glenn Murray maybe. Last season you would have put Kayal top of that list but at the moment Sidwell is keeping him out. Form is so fleeting. Last season there were no more effective defenders than Wes Morgan and Robert Huth at Leicester, now they are leaking goals and the manager who brought them the Championship is gone.
