Stoke 0 Brighton (1) 1 – FA Cup 5th 7.15pm
City went out of the FA Cup, putting up a fight despite rarely looking really dangerous. Axel & Tyrese had a good chance each, but the half hour Brighton winner was a routine goal-by-numbers. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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So, who’s taking this the most seriously? Stoke with their 7 changes or Brighton with their 5? ITV4 interrupt their Centerparc adverts and middle-class repeats to show this game at the curious time of 7.15. The main stand is closed, the away end half-full (but noisy), and Brighton are in turquoise. Ye Gods!
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11.20 Hoever nervously gives away a corner. Nerves have no place here. Tyrese has the right attitude, barging through and troubling the keeper Jason Steele early on. (Jason Steele sounds like a 70s TV detective.)
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19.40 Hoever looking more and more like a liability on the left, timid and nervous. Meanwhile, Josh Laurent picks up a yellow card.
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28.50 Tyrese has a low shot from distance this time, but it doesn’t worry the keeper much.
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29.51 0-1 !! Brighton rip through Stoke’s defence on the mid-left with Mitoma, and Evan Ferguson prods home from the low cross. Easy.
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33.49 Hoever actually puts in a cracking tackle. Someone has plugged him in. Brighton’s wingers are proving troublesome.
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40.30 Just when you think you’re getting a lesson in football from the Premier League team, they go and do something dumb and give the ball away weakly. Meanwhile Tyrese demonstrates the poor state of Stoke’s crosses. This one with his right foot.
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43.17 Thompson uses his muscles to win back the ball, exchanges passes with Tyrese, and brings out a save in Steele (although it was actually going wide). Stoke’s first corner.
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HT City 0 Hove 1
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45.00 Smallbone comes on for yellow Laurent.
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48.55 Baker’s meek challenge on Caicedo results in Moises (yes, that’s his first name) rolling manically around on the floor like he’s got fleas!!! Never seen the like. Of course, Baker gets yellowed, and Caicedo gets called a “cheat” as he hops up and seems perfectly OK. Lunacy. What an Oscar performance! (Apparently it was justified.)
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Attendance is a feeble 12,949. OK, it’s on TV, but still that is grim.
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55.55 Brighton break with 5 against 2…and blow it thanks to a great tackle by Hoever. Should have been 0-2. Brighton taking the foot off the gas. Stoke looking for a new vehicle…
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64.10 Tuanzebe’s header from a Thompson free kick sails just wide! City’s big chance! Axel is the man!
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66.30 Clucas has come on for Sterling. Tymon has dropped back to left back, Hoever to right back.
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70.30 Tyrese takes toooooo long to shooooot. What level does he think he’s playing at??
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72.30 Axel Tuanzebe not scared to get in a tussle with a wriggly eel of a striker.
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75.20 Bersant Celina and Connor Taylor on for Tyrese and Tyanzebe. Blimey, even Danny Welbeck is on the pitch (albeit for Brighton).
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82.05 Nathan Lowe on for Brown, and Stoke almost blunder the ball home from a corner. Hove fans very quiet, City fans rampant! Stoke pushing forward. Too late?
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89.45 Bonham is seriously impeded trying to punt the ball clear as Hove players throw themselves in the way. Then he wanders out of goal and is almost lobbed by Welbeck!
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90+2 From a break, Welbeck has a clear shot to score, and hits the far post! City caught on the break.
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FT City out by 0-1. Brighton march on…
