Half time roasting inspires seagulls to end Blues jinx

Last updated : 23 August 2008 By Shrimpers24
(Edited from the Brighton Evening Argus and TLG's photo section August 22/23)

Glenn Murray and Nicky Forster scored in the last 15 minutes to clinch an impressive 2-0 win for Albion at Southend and send them top of League One Murray, back after a one-match ban, turned to fire in a low shot from close range when Dave Livermore's free-kick found him at the far post.

It was the striker's first goal of the season and helped end the Seagulls' run of 34 years without a win at Roots Hall Forster made sure with a similar finish on 89 minutes after a lovely build-up down the right.

Southend were reduced to ten men 12 minutes before the opening goal when midfielder Franck Moussa was shown a straight red for a dangerous challenge on Adam Virgo.

Murray also had a low curler pushed away by Mildenhall on the closing stages but there were also plenty of scares at the other end in what developed into a lively tussle.

Tommy Elphick kept the 1-0 lead intact with a goal-line clearance from Lee Barnard's header and Michel Kuipers pushed away a ferocious drive from ex-Seagulls left back Dan Harding before Forster ended the contest with his fourth goal in as many games.

Alex Revell, also playing against his old club, hit the post after only nine minutes - four minutes after he had seen yellow for a bad tackle on Kuipers, whose reaction also earned him a booking.

Forster and Elphick were also booked, as were Peter Clarke and Harding for the hosts.

The result delighted a noisy contingent of 1,130 fans in a crowd of 7,970. Now Albion wait to see where tomorrow's results leave them among the early season pacesetters.

Click on below to catch a selection of photos from the game.

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Micky Adams has revealed how a half-time roasting inspired Albion's first victory at Southend since 1974.

Adams was angry with the first half performance by his players at Roots Hall last night. They responded with goals by front pair Glenn Murray and Nicky Forster to clinch a 2-0 win which has lifted them to the top of the table ahead of today's League One programme.

Adams said: "I was disappointed at half time. I haven't lost my temper too many times since I have been back at the club but at half time there were certainly a few words because I felt we were being out battled. We were deep as a unit, we couldn't get any passing going or any quality ball up to our front two and their front two were causing us all sorts of problems. We addressed that in the second half. We pushed up the pitch and played more like we should. I don't know whether it is a sign of a good side but we fought it out. It wasn't easy, that's for sure. We found ourselves under real pressure at times but stood up to it and smashed another hoodoo, which is fantastic for the players. They deserved all the plaudits. It was the toughest test we could have had this early in the season."

Adams would not be drawn on a red card for Southend midfielder Franck Moussa in the second half for a tackle on Adam Virgo when the game was goalless.

"I would rather let Steve Tilson talk about that," he said. "I saw a coming together of two players. Whether it was a straight red I am not so sure. I was looking at my player, rather than what their player had done. Steve will obviously be disappointed because it had a massive effect on the outcome of the game."

Glenn Murray insisted today he does not mind who ends up as Albion's top scorer. Murray celebrated his return from suspension with his first goal of the season at Southend last night and partner Nicky Forster added his fourth in four games.

Murray said: "I am not relieved, I was confident it would come eventually the way I have been playing and now it has. I've got a bit of catching up to do but it does not matter as long as one of us is scoring. If Fozzy goes through a bit of a lull then hopefully I will fill in the gap. As long as we can continue as a partnership then we will both be happy. Obviously, we both want to score as many goals as we can and there is a fair amount of banter between us but it will not matter if we finish in and around each other."

Albion now have seven points from their opening three games, edging them to the League One summit above Oldham and Carlisle who both play Saturday.

Murray said: "It's nice to go home knowing you have done your job and have got the weekend off."

Forget about jinxes and hoodoos. Albion followed up their first ever victory at Crewe on the opening day of the season with a gritty first win at Roots Hall for 34 years. Micky Adams' men took clinical advantage of the second-half dismissal of Southend midfielder Franck Moussa for a bad tackle on Adam Virgo.

Expert finishes from Glenn Murray, his first of the season on his return from suspension, and Nicky Forster with his fourth in as many matches in the closing stages made sure the extra man counted. That is not always the case in such circumstances but Albion's professionalism, after digging in to keep Southend at bay, bodes well for the rest of the season as they sit proudly, if only perhaps temporarily, on top of the table.

It is stretching the imagination to class Albion and Southend as local rivals but the battle of the seaside resorts had a real edge to it in the early stages, which was accentuated by the inclusion in the home team of two former Seagulls.

Dan Harding, having left Withdean for Leeds in a controversial transfer tribunal move three summers ago, was predictably booed by the Albion faithful every time he touched the ball.

There were no such recriminations when Alex Revell was sold to Southend during the January transfer window but his popularity was threatened by a clash in the fifth minute with Michel Kuipers. Revell was late with his challenge as the Dutch goalkeeper smothered at his feet inside the area. Kuipers and his team-mates were incensed and Revell's heart must have been in his mouth when referee Jarnail Singh had the red card in his hand as he took him to one side. In the event Revell was booked and so too, perhaps a little harshly, was Kuipers for the way he reacted to the incident.

By that stage Kuipers had already been called into action to grab a looping header from Lee Barnard and save at the feet of the former Albion loan target. It was a sign of things to come in a first half in which Southend were the brighter side.

Barnard launched a move in the ninth minute from which Revell very nearly made his accusers eat their words. Latching on to a short pass inside from close season capture Kevin Betsy, Revell unleashed a low right-foot drive which clipped the outside of the far post, with Kuipers at full stretch to get a touch.

Southend's front pair combined again midway through the half, Revell heading on for Barnard to eventually attempt a swerving shot which Kuipers gathered comfortably at his near post.

As well as the return from suspension of Murray, Adams swapped over Matt Richards and David Livermore following the disappointing home draw against Bristol Rovers, Richards once more at leftback with Livermore ahead of him. The onus was on Dean Cox again to be the creative force in the continuing absence through injury of Kevin McCleod. Cox produced a couple of early crosses and an incisive through ball which Virgo could not quite control. Virgo almost continued his free-scoring start to the campaign in the 37th minute. Forster set him up for a shot which keeper Steve Mildenhall turned for a corner.

Albion, hampered by the frequent concession of free-kicks and a number of offside decisions, found it hard to maintain any attacking momentum in the opening 45 minutes.

Colin Hawkins has been soundness personified since his summer switch from Coventry, so an aberration from the Irishman three minutes into the second half came as something of a surprise. He hit a backpass without looking and was grateful to the alert Kuipers for taking the ball off the toes of Revell.

The diving Kuipers could not hold Peter Clarke's header from a Harding free-kick. Revell seemed certain to tap in the loose ball but the Seagulls somehow scrambled their way to safety. A couple of minutes later, Barnard charged down a clearance from Kuipers, leaving the retreating Dutchman relieved to see the ball bounce wide of his gaping net.

Albion's hopes were raised when they were handed a numerical advantage in the 63rd minute. Moussa received a straight red card for a tackle on Virgo which looked suspiciously over-the-top.

The Seagulls almost capitalised six minutes later with their slickest move of the match. Livermore fed Cox and his first-time pass released Forster for a shot which fizzed just wide.

Moussa's dismissal changed the complexion of the contest and Albion duly went ahead with 15 minutes left, courtesy of a fine finish from Murray. The ball seemed to be stuck in his feet when a free-kick from the impressive Livermore reached him just inside the box. but the former Rochdale marksman turned sharply to fire a right-foot drive across Mildenhall into the far corner.

Forster completed a famous victory a minute from time, turning to shoot past Mildenhall at his near post from a cross by Steve Thomson following neat approach play by Murray.

A couple of Brighton comments on the game.

graham w, lancing says...

What a great win, as usual the north stand gave their support vocally, these away games are so much better than withdean the atmoshere is really buzzin. well done lads. i know we gave Harding a grim time, but I have to admit he did look good, and a good start for murry, well done, but I do think we still need a couple of players, the bench looks weak.

Ray, Portslade says...

Another game where we wern't really at the races but still got 3 points. Brilliant. Could do with the rubbish LDV game which is in between 2 home games really. However, forget about that cup, lets look to get 6 points from next 2 games. It's all about momentum and getting points on the board. We can do this if we stick together.

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