Tom Dallison.
Image by: Paul Hazlewood
PUBLISHED
16:08 5th February 2016
by James Hilsum
Brighton & Hove Albion’s under-21s were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal at their London Colney training ground.
ARSENAL 4
Mavididi 4, 17
Bielik 14
Bennacer 78ALBION 1
Tilley 85
- Reiss Nelson, Stephy Mavididi, Krystian Bielik and Ismael Bennacer score for Arsenal
- James Tilley scores from the penalty spot
- Jack Harper has a penalty saved in the first half
- Jonah Ayunga and Henrik Rorvik Bjordal make their Albion debuts
Jonah Ayunga and Henrik Rorvik Bjordal both made their Albion debuts, but it was not enough to stop the Gunners securing a convincing win.
A goal each from Reiss Nelson, Stephy Mavididi, Krystian Bielik and Ismael Bennacer earned Arsenal all three points.
Nelson gave Arsenal the lead inside the opening two minutes after he capitalised on a defensive error and fired past Christian Walton.
The lead was doubled with just under a quarter of an hour on the clock when Bielik cleverly flicked Nelson’s corner beyond Walton.
The game was effectively killed off as a contest when Nelson delivered a superb pass into the path of Mavididi, who coolly fired the ball past the Albion shot-stopper to make it 3-0 after 17 minutes.
Simon Rusk’s side were given a lifeline on the half-hour mark when Kristopher da Graca was penalised for a challenge on Ayunga.
Jack Harper stepped up to take the subsequent spot-kick, but Gunners keeper Matt Macey pushed away the Scotsman’s penalty before the forward fired a follow-up shot over the bar.
LATEST NEWS FROM*SEAGULLS.CO.UK*
- ALBION ADD CZECH INTERNATIONAL FORWARD
- MIDFIELDER JOINS FULHAM ON LOAN
- ALBION SIGN UNDER-21 FORWARD
- MIDFIELDER JOINS BARNSLEY
- STRIKER HEADS OUT ON LOAN
Dylan Barnett was next to try his luck for the Seagulls, but his shot from distance went over the crossbar.Harper was replaced by debutant Bjordal with just under 18 minutes remaining for his Albion debut.
But just moments later, Arsenal extended their lead after a superb free-kick from Bennacer just outside the box.
Albion were awarded a second spot-kick with ten minutes of normal time remaining, after Marcus Guane fouled Barnett inside the area.
Tilley stepped up and this time the ball went past substitute keeper Ryan Huddart to make the final score 4-1.
ALBION: Walton; Hunt, Hutchinson, Dallison, Barnett; Ward, Molumby, Starkey; Ayunga (Deen 76), Harper (Bjordal 72), Tilley.
SUBS NOT USED: Doherty (GK), Barclay, Tighe.
[h=3]ALBION V BRENTFORD**
[/h]FRIDAY 5TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V BOLTON WANDERERS**
[/h]SATURDAY 13TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]ALBION V LEEDS UNITED**
[/h]MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
Original article