Brighton vs Newcastle result: Pascal Gross header salvages draw and slightly eases relegation fears

Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Newcastle United: Had Glenn Murray not headed over from just three yards in the final minute, Brighton’s future would have been all but assured

It had been a long time coming but after Pascal Gross ended Brighton’s goal-drought that stretched back for over 12 hours, the significance of the midfielder’s second half header became clear. The goal was enough to secure a much-needed point for Chris Hughton’s side and move them one step closer towards Premier League survival.

Cardiff’s defeat at Fulham earlier in the day meant that a point moved Albion four points clear of the bottom three. With goal difference heavily in Brighton’s favour, the Welsh club would realistically have to win both their remaining games - at home to Crystal Palace before a final day trip to Manchester United - to have any chance of overhauling Albion who face Arsenal and Manchester City in their remaining two matches.

Had Glenn Murray not headed over from just three yards in the final minute, Brighton’s future would have been all but assured. As it was, there was a clear sense of relief around the Amex Stadium after Hughton’s side rallied following an insipid first half display that left them trailing to Ayoze Perez’s 18th minute effort.

At that point there was no sign that Brighton were capable of staging a recovery. A much improved second half display, however, was capped by Gross’s goal, a header following Murray’s nod down from Bruno’s right wing cross.

The news from Craven Cottage ensured Albion took the field to a backdrop of expectation rather than apprehension. That quickly disappeared and the 14th minute brought an unwanted landmark when Hughton’s side passed the club record of 11 hours and 13 minutes without a goal, set in 1970 in the old Third Division. More concerning, though, was the amount of space Newcastle were finding inside the home half as Brighton backed off, inviting pressure onto the back-four.

The warning signs were there as early as the seventh minute when Perez was allowed to advance into the penalty area before a saving tackle from Shane Duffy ended that particular threat. A succession of misplaced clearances, however, allowed Benitez’s side to quickly get back onto the front foot and it came as little surprise when they forced the lead after 18 minutes.

Paul Dummett, like Perez before him, was allowed to move forward unchallenged and steady himself before directing a cross towards Salomon Rondon at the far post. The Venezuela striker had time to chest the ball down into the path of Perez whose first time shot flew past Maty Ryan and into the roof of the net from ten yards out.

Party time was well and truly over and the shift of the mood inside the stadium was palpable. Brighton’s failing to establish themselves as an attacking force might have been less of a problem when the match was all square, but it was hard to see how they might galvanise themselves and conjure an equaliser during a first half in which they had just one touch inside the Newcastle box and failed to muster a single effort on goal.

Brighton’s display before the break betrayed the fear and lack of confidence that was running right through Hughton’s team and the manager attempted to inject fresh life into his side by introducing Solly March for the ineffective Florin Andone on the right hand flank at the break. Three minutes later, the Albion manager was forced into a second change when Beram Kayal, the midfielder, pulled up with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Yves Bissouma.

Pascal Gross scored a potentially priceless goal (Action)

Albion’s performance could only get better, but March in particular provided the home side with more impetus going forward, quickly delivering a couple of testing crosses into the Newcastle area before cutting in to attempt a rare effort on goal. A degree of momentum was building for Hughton’s side and they would have drawn level Shane Duffy been more accurate with a far post header from Gross’s 61st minute corner.

Momentum was with Brighton, though, and had Murray shown more composure, they would have celebrated a first league win since early March.