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Seagulls earn point on the road
Swansea 0 Albion 0.
A battling second-half display saw Albion grab their first away point of the season in a goalless draw at Swansea.
All the talk before the game centred around the omission from the Albion squad of Jake Robinson.
Robinson was widely expected to start, or at the very least be among the substitutes, following his impressive impact from the bench in place of Frenchman David Martot in the 2-1 home defeat by Yeovil.
Instead Alex Revell returned, at the expense of Martot rather than Bas Savage who kept his place.
The replacements included Nathan Elder, a regular goal scorer in the Reserves, and Doug Loft, who was included in the squad for the first time this season.
The Swansea line-up contained a couple of surprises. Darren Pratley was preferred to Kristian O'Leary in central midfield and Spanish manager Roberto Martinez gave a full debut on the left side of midfield to compatriot Andrea Orlandi, once of Barcelona.
The other change to the Swansea team beaten at Leeds last time out was expected, Warren Feeney taking over upfront from the injured Darryl Duffy.
Savage was switched to the right wing, Revell partnering Nicky Forster through the middle in his quest to add to the three goals he scored in the two meetings with Swansea last season.
Perhaps it was something to do with the early kick-off caused by Welsh involvement in the Rugby World Cup, because Albion looked half asleep at the back in the initial exchanges.
Fortunately for the Seagulls, Feeney overran the ball when Tommy Elphick allowed the Northern Ireland international in behind him.
Michel Kuipers was also penalised for handling a harmless cross just outside the area. It presented Swansea with a free-kick in a position of real danger but Ferrie Bodde's fierce effort was blocked by Dean Cox breaking from the defensive wall.
Andrew Whing's slowness in clearing down the line and Bodde's dispossessing of Dean Hammond were further examples of a lethargy which must have infuriated Wilkins, considering his demand for more clean sheets.
Once they woke up, the Seagulls were the better side in the first half and went close to taking the lead on several occasions.
Revell nodded them in front in the corresponding fixture last season. He almost staged a repeat with a glancing header at the near post from a cross by Whing which Swansea's Dutch keeper, Dorus de Vires managed to parry.
The ball fell to Forster and de Vires somehow recovered to block his attempt as well at the expense of a corner.
Kuipers' fellow countryman deserved credit for his double save but a striker with Forster's experience and goalscoring pedigree really should have scored.
George O'Callaghan seemed determined to break his duck for Albion. The on-loan Ipswich midfielder had a well-struck volley blocked by Swansea skipper Garry Monk following tenacious approach work by Savage.
O'Callaghan went closer still in the 29th minute with an angled chip which de Vires was equal to, the keeper back-pedalling to palm one-handed over the bar.
Hammond could not keep down a header from Whing's centre in another moment of promise for the Seagulls.
Swansea's early spark had long since evaporated by that stage and topscorer Jason Scotland was strangely subdued.
They could though still have gone in ahead against the run of play, the unmarked Feeney directing a tame header straight at Kuipers.
Revell's liking for Swansea continued when he almost scored against them again six minutes into the restart.
His cross from wide on the right turned into a shot which surprised de Vires and hit the top of the bar.
Swansea re-asserted after that and Albion were forced to defend, which they did with considerable skill and courage at times.
Whing, the ever-dependable Guy Butters, Hammond and Matt Richards - performing much better than he had on his debut against Yeovil - all produced important blocks to keep the home side at bay.
Whing's intervention, as Scotland tried to shoot on the turn deep inside the box, was indicative of Albion's desire to end their losing away run.
They had a let-off in the 55th minute in an incident demonstrating both the best and worst of Savage. Back helping his defence, he robbed Orlandi, only to gift possession to Bodde with a loose pass.
The Dutch midfielder's low drive from 25 yards struck the base of the right hand post, with Kuipers a helpless spectator.
Kuipers was far from that in the 74th minute. Scotland headed down a cross and substitute Paul Anderson stuck out a foot to direct the ball goalwards but with insufficient power to beat Kuipers who acrobatically denied him with his left hand.
The introduction of Loft midway through the second half in place of Forster suggested the Seagulls were happy to hold on for a draw, although they still kept Savage and Revell upfront.
It certainly panned out that way in a second half dominated by the home side.
But Albion almost snatched all three points deep into stoppage time when Savage's left-foot shot from outside the box hit the bar.
Swansea: De Vries, Monk, Rangel, Lawrence, Painter, Bodde, Pratley, Orlandi, Butler, Feeney, Scotland. Subs: Knight, Austin, O'Leary, Bauza, Anderson.
Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, Richards, Elphick, Butters, Cox, O'Callaghan, Hammond, Savage, Revell, Forster. Subs: Sullivan, El-Abd, Rents, Elder, Loft.
What do you think of Albion's first point on the road?
What do you think about the omission of Jake Robinson from the squad?
3:26pm Saturday 29th September 2007
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