SOBS V SEAGULLS

Still smarting from last Sunday's nonsense, the Lads took on the Seagulls at the SoL in one of those novelty 3pm Saturday games (it might catch on, you never know) and, with the sun shining brightly, contrived to lose. Yet again, a dodgy backpass set in motion a series of events that ended with a scrappy goal against. I don't think we deserved to lose, but neither did we deserve to win as passes went astray too often and shots weren't taken when they should have been.

The last week has seen a lot of the stuff that follows that sort of Port Vale performance - knee-jerk condemnation, soul-searching, denial, disappointment, and downright anger. For all our reactions, the background has been the world teetering on the brink of global warfare. Getting family and friends home from what were intended to be exotic holidays has been a nightmare - but alleviated to an extent by the sterling assistance of a certain Sunderland fan resident in the danger zone. Great work, Mr White.

Much has been made of our meagre goal output, so it was good to hear BB was fit again, while Hume and Sadiki had done their detention. I also switched from supermarket jelly babies back to Maynard's in an attempt to get our luck back on track and lift the mood. Perhaps Monty the dog's new haircut might do the same... and I won the football card. Surely a sign, even if Dave picked the team.

Perhaps not drinking Welbeck beer in the Isis was as well, as the team news arrived.

Ellborg

Geertruida Ballard Alderete Hume

Xhaka (c) Sadiki Diarra

Talbi Brobbey Rigg

...and a bench of Moore, Jen. Jones, Jay Jones, H. Jones, Isidor, Mayenda, Whitaker, O'Nien, and Cirkin. Not exactly bursting with experience, but you have to get it somehow... and no sign of Enzo!

In yellow, Brighton kicked off South after a rousing rendition of Wise Men Say and backed by a large and noisy contingent. We set up with Talbi left and Rigg right, and the latter won us a corner after only four minutes. That was cleared, and we kept it up with a wicked Diarra cross from the right being chested out for another corner, this time on the left. Hume's dead ball was again cleared and Ellborg had to pull off a fabulous save down to his right on eight minutes. There was a proper melee from the corner which ended with a shot wide, but there was still a daft VAR check which the ref didn't bother looking at.

The game carried on in end to end fashion with Talbi having one cleared off the line and up into the keeper's hands. Brighton then started making more of their possession as they passed through us with apparent ease. We countered when Omar carried it forward and tried a speculative one from 35 yards - comfy save on the quarter hour

After a bit more Brighton pressure we got hold of the ball and Sadiki had one blocked, while Ballard spent a while in midfield, for some reason. As you'd expect, Brighton burst through the Dan-sized gap and brought another save out of Ellborg. It looked like the visitors would at least test him again soon after, but they passed up several shooting opportunities in the same move and had to make do with a corner.

After Sadiki took a volley in the face, Talbi got it towards the near post where the inrushing Rigg was challenged as he shot and it was saved. After a mystery stoppage on the half hour, possibly for the ref to tell Dunk to stop the naughty stuff (dark arts, Brighton manager) on Rigg, Omar set Xhaka away. He elected not to shoot and found Talbi - who tried to cut inside instead of shooting and was robbed. Shooot, Lads!

After Ballard took a knock ending a break, we got a bit better, with Rigg's overhead kick going just wide. Sadiki's run and shot brought another corner, but all of our positive stuff was interspersed with bits of Brighton passing through us. Another couple of corners, a couple of added minutes, and it was level at the break.

On came Julio and Sir Bob for a bit of appreciation, we didn't make any changes, and we were off again. Rigg did well to get in a tackle, but was then get fouled just in their half. Xhaka squared it to Hume, he floated it into the box, it came back across and there was Rigg. 1-0.

Oh no it wasn't. VAR, Alderete offside. Bah.

Xhaka then fizzed another free just too far for Alderete at the back post before we set Diarra into the box from the right, but he sliced horribly wide. Hume then put in a mad back pass that gave away a corner on our left, and when it came in Diarra looked to take an almighty shove. He was still on the ground when Brighton ran it along the line and somehow squeezed it through our keeper and in. That there was no VAR intervention is simply astonishing, whatever the outcome.

After Diarra shot wide, Ballard had to be replaced by O'Nien, and things naturally got a bit more urgent. A nice move ended when Hume fired wide, then Brighton broke but shot over. We went through a spell when we looked like we couldn't win a second ball if there'd been two on the pitch, but Brighton, for all their gaffer's moans about the dark arts, we're pretty sneaky and not scared of putting the boot in. We did force a scrambled save then there was only a yellow for something naughty on Luke by Minteh. He should have had a second for clattering Rigg after Xhaka's free, but got away with it and was immediately subbed while Granit was booked for moaning.

Mayenda replaced Brobbey, Xhaka hit a free into the wall, then Talbi put in a poor cross and was replaced by Cirkin on 84. Eight extra minutes were announced, we tried hoofing it long, and Welbeck was applauded off the field while Aldo tried his luck up front.

His luck was out as all we got was a Cirkin effort that flew too high.

Man of the Match? I think the only one who maintained his standard for the duration was Rigg. Too many others looked off the pace.