Albion Liveblogs: Conway shoots down Knockaert and Co

We are stepping into the breach.

We have raided our vast archive of Albion liveblogs to bring you a taste of matchday.

These are the live and contemporaneous reports we have filed down the years as the fixtures were in progress.

They are not reflective pieces.

They offer a real feel of the match unfolding and give the context of how things were seen at the time.

We won’t bring you only classics.

There will be a wider cross-section of games which reflect life following the Seagulls.

Today we look back at a cracker at the Amex on December 7, 2013.

Albion’s November form had secured Oscar Garcia manager of the month honours in the Championship but they opened December by losing at home to bottom-placed Barnsley, for whom Paddy McCourt shone.

Leicester, managed by Nigel Pearson, were top of the table although they had also lost in midweek.

After this 3-1 defeat, the Foxes went on a 21-match unbeaten run and had secured promotion by the time they suffered their next defeat.

We might bring you that match as well at some point!

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They lost to the bottom side. Now they take on the leaders.
It’s a tall order for Albion today as Leicester – top of the table on goals scored – come to the Amex.
But the Foxes lost to a struggling side on Tuesday too, beaten 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday.
Both sides make one change to their starting XIs – and hope for a big change in performance levels.

2.58pm: Tomasz Kuszczak has pulled out of the match through injury. Peter Brezovan starts.

3.01pm: Still awaiting word on what has happened to Kuszczak. We have just had a minute’s applause in honour of Nelson Mandela. Albion name under-21 keeper Christian Walton on the bench.
3.05pm: There were cheers as, almost straight from kick-off, Brezovan gathered an overhit ball forward by Leicester in front of the North Stand.
3.11pm: A sterner test for Brezovan was not long in coming. Drinkwater forced his way past a couple of lightweight tackles and hit a low shot which the big keeper did well to parry low to his right. As Albion responded Conway got away from Wasilewski, who brought him down and was booked. Conway whipped a dangerous free-kick into the heart of the City area but it was headed away. Bruno and David Lopez combined neatly to win a corner which the latter struck straight at the first defender. The clearance was met by a full-blooded volley from Crofts which struck Miquel in front of goal.
3.15pm – GOAL: It was a lively start by Albion, though, and they went ahead with a beautifully crafted goal down their right on nine minutes. Bruno slid the ball into the path of David Lopez, who made ground and angled a superb ball along the turf, across the defence and into the path of BARNES, who converted beyond the far post.
3.18pm: The start almost got even better. After some crisp midfield passing, Crofts drilled a glorious crossfield ball out to Conway who, tight to the left touchline, checked back on to his right foot and delivered a cross which Ince headed just off target on the run. As City responded, Upson was alert to make a potentially goal-saving challenge just as Vardy looked set to pull the trigger right in front of goal.
3.21pm: Albion suffered another blow on 18 minutes as Greer went off injured. El-Abd took his place with Bridcutt donning the armband.
3.24pm: Drinkwater and Nugent produced a terrific move down the left and the ball was crossed low for Dyer, on the edge of the box. But he delayed too long over his shot, which was eventually blocked by Ince. Leicester were growing in confidence but Albion’s fans were giving their side good backing.

3.34pm – GOAL: Albion were defending strongly – and were deadly on the counter as they doubled their lead in the 29th minute. David Lopez was again the creator. With fans demanding he send Barnes or Conway away early from his own half, he bided his time, kept the ball, then picked his moment to chip a pass into the path of the latter. CONWAY chested it down on to his right foot and thrashed a drive low past the advancing Schmeichel.
3.43pm: Upson produced another great piece of defending to head away a Konchesky cross after the full-back had been released by Drinkwater’s pass. The clearance floated out to David Lopez, who delighted the crowd and eased all the pressure with a back-heel on the half volley to find Bruno. Konchesky’s next cross was lofted beyond the far post and Ward defended strongly to head away under pressure. Every clearance, tackle and defensive header was being cheered by home fans.
3.46pm: Terrific inter-passing by Barnes, Bruno, David and Bridcutt in a tight area won a free-kick which David Lopez whipped on to the head of Upson beyond the far post. Upson’s header seemed to be blocked by a team mate and the ball eventually dropped towards Ince, whose miscued volley floated gently to Schmeichel.
3.50pm – HALF-TIME: Albion were passing the ball about with a huge amount of confidence now and another fine move ended with David’s shot from the edge of the box deflecting into the hands of Schmeichel for a simple catch.
4.12pm: Dean Hammond was replaced by Anthony Knockaert at the interval. Knockaert’s introduction was a positive move by Leicester boss Nigel Pearson. But Albion asked questions at the other end as Schmeichel had to punch clear under a lot of pressure from Barnes when Conway crossed.
4.19pm: Knockaert went off for treatment to a blood injury and returned with a numberless shirt. Miquel received a lecture, but no booking, after scything through. 

4.26pm: Crofts almost embarrassed Schmeichel with a volley from 35 yards.
4.30pm - GOAL: Leicester got back into the game in the 64th minute when poor defending at a free-kick left KING unmarked to head home at the far post. Before play restarted, they sent on Taylor-Fletcher and Wood for Dyer and Nugent.
4.31pm: Albion were under the cosh now and twice in quick succession Brezovan kept them in front, first by tipping over a Taylor-Fletcher header and then by holding King’s close-range shot.

4.41pm - GOAL: Albion though managed to get a grip on possession - and then extended their lead. Bruno chipped a glorious ball to release Conway down the right and, as Barnes challenged for his cross, he was pushed in the back by Morgan. BARNES, who had a spot kick saved by Schmeichel last season, thrashed the penalty down the middle and it went in despite the keeper getting a touch.
4.57pm: With the game into a minimum of five added minutes, LuaLua was booked for a foul on Knockaert, who responded angrily to the challenge. Vardy wasted a great chance to re-ignite the contest when he mis-kicked in front of goal. Then Knockaert tried a curler which the assured Brezovan again held.
Barnes, named man-of-the-match by the sponsors, hooked a very ambitious volley into the North Stand as the end drew near.

Full-time: Albion 3, Leicester 1.

Albion: Brezovan; Bruno, Greer (El-Abd 18), Upson, Ward; Ince, Bridcutt, Crofts; David Lopez (LuaLua 74), Barnes, Conway. Unused subs: Walton, Calderon, Andrews, Agustien, Lita.
Leicester: Schmeichel; Wasilewski, Miquel, Morgan, Konchesky; Hammond (Knockaert 46), Drinkwater, King, Dyer (Wood 64); Vardy, Nugent (Taylor-Fletcher 64). Unused subs: Logan, James, Schlupp, Moore.