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Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United in the WSL at The AMEX Stadium |
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The Seagulls are at thier second home to host the Red Devils on a very changeable late autumn day. The monsoons have been replaced by sunshine and it is lovely and warm in the East Stand. It's the second outing in 7 days to watch the seagulls. We're hoping for another 3 points today but this will be a tougher test. The Reds have won 3 in 3 this season. The two sides played out an exciting 2-2 draw at Crawley almost a year ago with the Reds needing some Official assistance to save the point. Hope they don't get that sort of assistance today. Both teams have had a good start to the season and whoever wins will go top of the league overnight as it's the only Saturday game. There is just one change to the Seagulls starting line-up as Cankovic is replaced by the returning Poppy. It's the usual 3 at the back with Olislagers moving into central midfield with Vicky. Fran, Nikita, Pauline and Bruna make up the front 4. Maisie and Michelle are on the bench today and have both been selected for the England U23 squad for the upcoming international break. Fran has made the senior squad but Poppy and Nikita miss out this time. There are some familiar faces and some new names in the Man Utd team. Their new striker, the strangely familiar, Terri someone, seems to be settling in nicely, unfortunately. They have a new keeper to replace Mary Earps who left for PSG in the summer. Also gone is our favourite, Lucia Garcia, who is playing in Mexico now. Grace Clinton is back from loan and Celine Bizet has also joined from Spurs. Sussex By The Sea plays as the players come out, the words are displayed round the pitch side advertising for those of us that are still learning them. There are a few hundred of the Toone army in the corner to the left. Good to see alot less red shirts in the home stands. Just a few youngsters with their Brighton shirt wearing siblings. There are no wheelie bins of fire today🔥. We have noisy blue and white smoke bombs. Pyro done 🧨, time to party🎉.
The Reds are giving the Seagulls a hard time form the start. Baggers makes a great save from Miyazawa on 7. Bizet puts a cross in from a good way out and a Baggaley comes to collect it, Grace Clinton flies through to bundle the ball into the net on 10. Bugger. The Spurs connection working there. Utd are dominating and camping out in the Seagulls end. Terri gets her first shot on goal but it's easy for Sophie to catch. Brighton are still playing out from the back but it's looking really risky against the high pressing Reds. Nail may be bitten. Nikita is fouled running down the wing but skips over the sliding tackle and the ref waves to play advantage. When the ball comes back the other way, Dotti is booked for a bad foul but the ref ignores that fact that Nikita was nearly taken out at full speed. She must have forgotten her red 🖍️crayons today. Convenient 🙄. Half an hour has gone and Bridgton finally get to the other end of the pitch and win a corner. It never goes in the box, just backwards and forwards in front of it🤦🏼♂️. Pauline goes down injured and heads off down the tunnel after treatment on the pitch . Hope she is alright but she has looked a bit off the pace all game. She is replaced by Maddison Haley on 41. Fran turns over the possession in midfield giving it to Maddison who charges forward to get the Seagulls best chance so far. It's well saved and the resulting corner comes to nothing. 0-1 at the break. Big half coming up for Brighton 🤞🏼.
There are two changes for the Seagulls at the restart. Olislagers is replaced by Maisie and Bruna by Agyemang. A bit more physicality in the middle and on the left. Brighton suddenly look much better. They can get and keep the ball at last. They level the score on 52 ⚽ when Maisie's low cross is put in by a diving header from Nikita. 1-1. Whoop. Brighton are getting good possession and get a couple of corners but can't find the finish they need. Agyemang is making great runs down the wing, interchanging well with Poppy. Things you like to see part1: Tooney sitting on the floor waving her arms in the air after the ref waves away a foul 🤣. Things you like to see part2: The Reds keeper sitting down for a Zinsberger break, I mean treatment on 72. At 75, it's time for some United changes. Aoife Mannion comes on for Miyazawa and Simi Awujo on for Lisa Naalsund. Not big guns then. Baggers makes another great save, this time it's from Grace Clinton. Baggers then makes catch fractionally ahead of Terri getting to the ball. She flattens Sophie then rolls around claiming penalty. No. Get up, Brighton reject. We've got Nikita now. Toone has been really quite , apart from moaning at the ref, but gets a shot in on 84 although it's tame and an easy catch for Sophie. Fran gets in a great shot on 87 but it's just about pushed wide. It looks like it's gone out for a corner but United just carry on playing. Terri forces Sophie in to a good save on 90. Five minutes added but the Seagulls are still hanging on. Tooney makes way for Rachael William (gulp) on 92. She always scores from the bench but hopefully it's too late today even for her. A couple of minutes more pressure then Maisie shields the ball out for a goal kick and we all breath again. There's no more action and it finishes level. A well fought point for the Seagulls in front of a record crowd of 8369. 👏🏼
A great game and a good result for the improving Seagulls. Very much a game of 2 halves though. United could have put it to be in the 1st half but they weren’t clinical enough to beat an on form Baggers. Dario had a Plan B for the 2nd half and it worked really well. The sun came out as we watched the Albion go toe the toe with the biggest club in the World (their claim - not mine). There was a good atmosphere in the ground although it wasn't as noisy as Crawley. At least the stands weren't full of red shirts screaming/screeching every time Toone got near the ball. It was also good to see Nikiti get a goal and not Terri 😉. We got the better end of that deal. The shared points means the Red go top overnight as the reminded us loudly on the way back to the car. The Seagulls are 2nd and worse case scenario will be 4th tomorrow. Settle for that. 10 points from 5 games when it took 11 games to reach that point last season. In other news, Tranmere won away at Bromley with goals (whatever they are) from Omari ⚽ and Saunders ⚽. Well done to the Whites and the travelling SWA. Are we Wrexham is disguise. It's the international break now so we will be seeing the Lionesses and hopefully Fran on Friday at Wembley. Can't wait but might have to as it's the RUR Cup 2nd round on Tuesday.
POTM: Nikita comes close but Sophie Baggaley stepped up before 🧤and after 🧤 the break so she bags 🤦🏼♂️the award🏅. Well done Baggers.
We would like to thank the PGMufcOL for providing the officials for the match today. I think they earned their money.
Bottle top news: Oh, dear. AMEX Stadium, NIL POINTS. The Pepsi lid was confiscated outside the stadium by the steward who had to wrench it from it's tether. Grumpy. The spare Coca Cola lid smuggled in didn't fit the Pepsi bottle. Double grumpy. Damn you AMEX stadium and you too, Pepsi. Irony alert: they sell Coca Cola in the stadium. Doh 🤦♂️.
Scran'o'meter: Excellent chips 🍟 from the Fish & Chip van outside. 8/10
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Back at the AMEX |
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| Trying the kit for size |
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| Super Fran |
