Match reports 2007/2008
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Albion 2 Hartlepool 1
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| Glenn Murray gave Albion the lead |
Albion 2 Hartlepool 1.
Dean Cox can be a right pain in the you know what.
Small in stature but big in opinion, his loud mouth often lands him in trouble.
He drives manager Dean Wilkins mad at times and yet Wilkins and Albion are mighty glad to have him.
Little did we know the impact Cox would have when he made his debut as a substitute in the last couple of minutes against Plymouth in the Championship at Withdean in August 2005.
A year later Mark McGhee gave him his first start, in the first match of last season at Rotherham. Cox was sent-off and the capacity for headline-making was established.
Since then the Seagulls' creative winger has made countless goals with his eye for a pass or cross. He has also scored 17 in 99 appearances - a decent ratio - and collected the same number of bookings.
There have been inspirational performances and hissy fits. Life with Cox, as with Albion, is rarely dull and Saturday was no exception.
Wilkins made three substitutions in the final 20 minutes in search of the victory his side required to keep their slim play-off hopes alive.
Jake Robinson, Joe Gatting and Joel Lynch were all thrown on but it was the change Wilkins did not make which proved so significant.
Cox was not having one of his better games. Apart from a pinpoint cross which enabled Glenn Murray to head Albion into a 37th-minute lead, the radar was malfunctioning.
Wilkins revealed he was "close" to taking Cox off. It's a good job he didn't because, with a minute left, he turned out to be the match-winner.
Steve Thomson, captain in the absence of Nicky Forster and having his best match yet for the club, delivered a deep cross from the right. Murray headed it back across the face of goal from beyond the far post and up popped Cox to volley in from close range and keep the promotion dream flickering for at least four more days.
Wilkins, reflecting on the substitution that nearly was, said: "His ball retention for him was disappointing but he made one and scored one and so did Glenn Murray.
"When you have got players with the ability to do that you always end up thinking he could make the difference and that happened again."
Cox came up trumps at the climax of his 48th match of the season. That is more than any other player, which reflects how important he is to Wilkins' thinking.
The only matches missed by the 20-year-old have been for disciplinary reasons. Banned from the home defeat by Leeds in October following five bookings, he was dropped for his part in a dressing room row after Nottingham Forest won at Withdean in December.
The axe fell again at the start of last month for comments made about his team-mates from the bench after he had been substituted against Leyton Orient.
That is the downside but the hassle is outweighed by Cox's match-winning capabilities. Albion would certainly be poorer without him.
They were poor even with him for periods of the match against mid-table Hartlepool.
They started slowly, which has become infuriatingly familiar, and were outplayed for most of the second half.
Thomson, making the 300th appearance of his career, was unfortunate to have a crisply struck shot in the 19th minute disallowed by the assistant's offside flag but Hartlepool were generally more inventive and incisive.
It was no surprise when they equalised with 15 minutes left. Michel Kuipers could not hold an angled drive by substitute David Foley and Joel Porter converted the rebound.
With Leeds cruising to victory at Millwall and boasting a far superior goal difference, the game was up for a tired-looking Albion until Cox pounced.
Wilkins was unaware of the Leeds result during the game. "We have to just keep focusing on ourselves and grinding out three points," he said.
"We did enough in the first half to be in front. I thought we could have been two in front but we had a 25-minute spell in the second half where we struggled to get hold of the ball.
"We suddenly got a grip of the game again a bit in the last ten minutes and that is when we scored the second goal."
It will all be over on Friday if Leeds win at Yeovil, or on Saturday if Albion fail to win at Bristol Rovers. That takes no account of the lurking possibility of Leeds being handed back five or even all 15 points in their insolvency dispute with the Football League.
They have been promised a decision by May 1 but, irrespective of that outcome, the Seagulls have demonstrated commendable stickability to continue their fight for a top six finish to the penultimate fixture of the season, while others like Walsall and Tranmere have fallen away. That seemed unlikely after that oh so costly defeat at home to Port Vale at the beginning of the month.
ALBION (4-4-2): Michel Kuipers (GK), Andrew Whing (RB), Tommy Elphick (CB), Guy Butters (CB), Kerry Mayo (LB), Dean Cox (RM), Therry Racon (CM), Steven Thomson (CM), Ian Westlake (LM), Jonny Dixon (CF), Glenn Murray (CF).
Subs: Jake Robinson (for Dixon 64), Joel Lynch (for Butters 82), Joe Gatting (for Westlake 82), Tommy Fraser, David Martot.
YELLOW CARD: Elphick (foul) 51.
RED CARDS: None.
GOALS: Murray 38, Cox 89.
HARTLEPOOL (4-4-2): Arran Lee-Barrett (GK), Antony Sweeney (RB), Ben Clark (CB), Michael Nelson (CB), Ritchie Humphreys (LB), Andy Monkhouse (LM), Willie Boland (CM), Gary Liddle (CM), James Brown (RM), Joel Porter (CF), Michael Mackay (CF).
Subs: David Foley (for Mackay 66), Matty Robson (for Bowland 66), Robbie Elliott, Jamie McCunnie, Sam Collins,
YELLOW CARDS: Monkhouse (foul) 45, Robson (foul) 90.
RED CARDS: None.
GOAL: Porter 75.
Assess Dean Cox's contribution to Albion's season
6:51am Monday 21st April 2008
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CommentPosted by: mark, brighton on 7:42am Mon 21 Apr 08
looks agreat player when he is playing well, but a luxury when things not going to plan, however all good things have come through him, its no secret that southampton were close to signing him last year, and expect more championship sides to come looking, his ability to open sides with a pass has been one thing the side miss, since we lost the irishman, not as consistant as last year but thats normal for his age, wish robinson could be as effective as cox. who signed dixon? was it dw or dk? a three year deal? next year will be time for him to prove himself, as for robinson, its last chance season, he cant be given more time to prove he can perform on the pitch. good news about leeds playing on friday, if they win, time for rents, sullivan,cobbs, and gargan to taste some action.
looks agreat player when he is playing well, but a luxury when things not going to plan, however all good things have come through him, its no secret that southampton were close to signing him last year, and expect more championship sides to come looking, his ability to open sides with a pass has been one thing the side miss, since we lost the irishman, not as consistant as last year but thats normal for his age, wish robinson could be as effective as cox. who signed dixon? was it dw or dk? a three year deal? next year will be time for him to prove himself, as for robinson, its last chance season, he cant be given more time to prove he can perform on the pitch. good news about leeds playing on friday, if they win, time for rents, sullivan,cobbs, and gargan to taste some action.
Posted by: Iain, Shoreham on 2:32pm Mon 21 Apr 08
Disagree about him being a luxury player. Of the last 6 goals we've scored, he's scored two and set up the other 4. (Thompson's disallowed goal was from his corner too) That's no luxury, he creates goals, that's an essential.
The one thing that is so frustrating are his free kicks that slam straight into the wall. Each time he does that, he gets the crowd on his back, and its so unnecessary.
Disagree about him being a luxury player. Of the last 6 goals we've scored, he's scored two and set up the other 4. (Thompson's disallowed goal was from his corner too) That's no luxury, he creates goals, that's an essential.
The one thing that is so frustrating are his free kicks that slam straight into the wall. Each time he does that, he gets the crowd on his back, and its so unnecessary.
Posted by: gully, hove on 1:32pm Tue 22 Apr 08
I agree with you Mark - especially Rentzey and Sullivan. I think its disgusting that they have been given no chance at all this season- Rents has been injured and ill of late, but look back last season and he played 30 odd games. Hopefully he will get signed he is a decent player who has had little time to shine this year and Sullivan too needs an opportunity-both players have a great attitude.
I agree with you Mark - especially Rentzey and Sullivan. I think its disgusting that they have been given no chance at all this season- Rents has been injured and ill of late, but look back last season and he played 30 odd games. Hopefully he will get signed he is a decent player who has had little time to shine this year and Sullivan too needs an opportunity-both players have a great attitude.
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