Brighton and Hove Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: Goldson's own goal adds insult to injury woes of Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
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Connor Goldson’s father, Winston, is a lifelong Wolves fan so must have dreamed of a day like this, when he watched from the stands as his son scored the winning goal for the men in old gold and black.
But there would have been distinctly mixed feelings in the Goldson family yesterday as the strike in question was an own goal that doomed Brighton to a third successive home defeat and asked further questions about their promotion prospects following the end of their 21-match unbeaten start to the season four games ago.
After Goldson’s 32nd-minute aberration, Brighton dominated possession but could not find an equaliser. The Seagulls have not won for six matches or scored in their past four, three of which have been home defeats, and the reason is not hard to find. They have seven players out injured, six of them first choices, and yesterday James Wilson, on a season-long loan from Manchester United but with a recall clause, started despite illness. He did not make the opening line-up against Ipswich Town on Tuesday and probably should have been rested yesterday, vomiting on the field before kick-off.
“It’s not a virus, it’s a cold,” Brighton manager Chris Hughton said. “It’s a combination of that and the volume of games he’s been involved in. He’s a player who has gone from a Manchester United squad, not playing so many games, to the intensity of what the Championship entails. But he was fine to play. I’ve no doubts he’ll go back to United – whenever that is – better for the experience. Also I think he’ll get better for us.”
The team that Hughton fields away to Hull City in the FA Cup a week today is likely to reflect the need to rest the remainder of his weary starters, while Liam Ridgewell, who begins a loan spell from Portland Timbers on Monday, will not be the last of the January reinforcements.
“It’s a major concern and a frustration as well,” said Hughton. “When you’ve been in the game as long as I have, you know you’re going to hit these periods. It’s whether in these periods you can find a way of getting a result. We are stretched but I couldn’t fault the effort. Some players are playing every game.”
Brighton caught Wolves on a good run and this was the visitors’ third successive victory, all with clean sheets. Brighton, though, had opened well and looked the more likely scorers, Wilson going closest. Then Goldson, making only his second start for Brighton after his £600,000 move from Shrewsbury Town in the summer, nudged a low cross by Jordan Graham between his goalkeeper, David Stockdale, and his near post.
After that Wolves withdrew 10 players behind the ball and challenged Brighton to find a way through the massed gold ranks. Wilson beat two men, only to hit his angled shot straight at goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, and Bobby Zamora and Wilson worked an opening for Jamie Murphy, but he shot too high, as did Israel midfield player Beram Kayal after a determined run.
Brighton were vulnerable to breakaways as they pressed forward, and Conor Coady drew an excellent fingertip save from Stockdale with a 20-yard shot. But the final 10 minutes were played mainly in and around the Wolves penalty area, Brighton right-back Bruno hitting the crossbar from 20 yards and centre-half Lewis Dunk forcing a late save from Ikeme with a close-range header.
Wolves manager Kenny Jackett said: “We did it with heart and luck in terms of the goal, but I’m very pleased with the commitment, effort and character. We needed that.”
Jackett also praised Brighton, describing Kayal as the stand-out player on the ball. “They have physical presence and technical ability and deserve to be where they are in the league,” he said. “The top five are there for a reason.” Brighton & Hove Albion (4-3-3): Stockdale; Bruno, Goldson, Dunk, Calderon; Crofts (Hemed, 74), Kayal, Stephens; Wilson, Zamora (Manu, 64), Murphy.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-1-4-1): Ikeme; Iorfa, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Doherty; McDonald; Henry (Sigurdarson, 66), Coady, Edwards, Graham (Byrne, 86); Afobe (Le Fondre, 90). Referee: C Kavanagh (Manchester).
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