Albion shine against Euro champs (From The Argus)

Albion shine against Euro champs

4:55pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in Albion By Brian Owen

Ashley Barnes scored and was involved in two other goals as Albion impressed against Chelsea today.

 

Vicente and Andrew Crofts also netted as the Seagulls won 3-1, despite falling behind to a Frank Lampard strike.

The result and performance delighted most of a crowd of 17,149 at The Amex.

Chelsea went ahead on 35 minutes when Fernando Torres’s clever dummy allowed Lampard to run on to Ramires’s pass and roll a shot past Tomasz Kuszczak.

But the Seagulls were level just two minutes later through Vicente.

The Spanish star moved on to Barnes’ low pass and rolled a classy finish across Petr Cech and inside the far post.

Kuszczak kept the hosts level with a smart save low to his right after Michael Essien’s low shot took a deflection.

And Albion were ahead on 44 minutes with a thumping left-foot finish from Barnes.

Will Buckley took the chance to run at Ashley Cole and John Terry, evading both, before Cech dived at his feet to swat the ball away.

Only, though, to Barnes, who thumped a terrific left-foot finish past Cole’s effort to get back and cover on the line.

Cech tipped over a 25-yarder from Vicente after the break.

David Luiz and Eden Hazard rifled shots just too high for Chelsea and Ramires saw his close-range drive lodge between Kuszczak’s thighs.

But Albion had the last laugh with Crofts running through to slot past sub keeper Ross Turnbull as ref Dave Phillips played an advantage as Luiz fouled Barnes.

Albion: Kuszczak; Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Calderon; Bridcutt, Dicker (Harley 59), Crofts; Vicente, Buckley (Noone 65); Barnes (Agdestein (90). Subs not used: Brezovan, Ankergren, El-Abd, Sparrow, Vincelot.
Chelsea: Cech (Turnbull 65); Ivanovic, Terry (Luiz 61), Cahill, Cole; Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Meireles (Obi 46), Hazard; Torres (Lukaku 79). Subs not used: Ferreira, Hutchinson, Benayoun, Piazon.
Ref: Dave Phillips.

Att: 17,149 (3,697 away)