OK time to stop the Swindon abuse

[Marc]

So WHAT if they dissed us and have attacked our tactics,
So WHAT if Andy King said all that crap about us pre-games,
So WHAT if Mooney hit the bar on numerous occasions and missed a penalty.

We should just sit back and look forward to the final, if they are still bitter then just make a fleeting smile in their general direction and get on with it. To me they are just another second division team and that is all, all this bickering with them is pointless and very boring.

Look unto the future and ye shall be rewarded...with hopefully promotion!

Roll On Sunday

 

[Wozza]

Agreed.

Makes us look like *****, IMO.

 

[Lammy]

The tears of the Town
Brighton and Hove Albion 1 - Swindon 2
20th May 2004

GROWN men wept unashamedly as Town saw their promotion dreams shattered in heartbreaking fashion on the south coast.

It should have been champagne flowing in the visiting dressing room rather than tears but Lady Luck chose to kick Andy King’s men in the proverbials when she should have been patting them all on the back for a job well done.

Goals from Sam Parkin and Rory Fallon looked to have booked Town’s place at the Millennium Stadium for a dream final date with Bristol City but boring Brighton got themselves out of jail in the dying seconds of extra time.

Adam Virgo’s goal was enough to trigger the lottery of a penalty shoot-out and fortune favoured the Seagulls.

Tommy Mooney and Andy Gurney failed from the spot to give Brighton a victory which only their most blinkered fan would say they merited.

No-one ever said football, or indeed life, was fair but there can be few greater examples of footballing injustice than this.

Town gave their all against a Brighton side which showed about as much attacking prowess as a pacifist.

Alas, it just wasn’t to be for King’s men and they suffered shoot-out despair for the second time this season.

The difference this time was that a little more than a place in the next round of the Carling Cup was at stake.

To the victor go the spoils, if totally undeserved.

As expected, Stefani Miglioranzi returned to the Town starting line-up with David Duke’s ankle injury keeping him out. More of a surprise was Grant Smith’s inclusion at the expense of Andy Nicholas.

As kick-off approached, the heavens opened and a thunderstorm rumbled and roared over Withdean, drenching the vast majority of the 6,876 crowd.

Town’s first chance arrived on five minutes with Brighton midfielder Charlie Oatway sliding Andy Gurney’s free-kick from the right into the side-netting at the base of the left post.

At the other end, Rhys Evans cleared from the onrushing Leon Knight while Adam Virgo reacted sharply to whip the ball off Sam Parkin’s toes following a short corner between Brian Howard and Sammy Igoe.

Parkin was a whisker away from giving Town a 17th minute lead as he raced on to Matt Hewlett’s defence-splitting pass but goalkeeper Ben Roberts did just enough to block his effort and although he couldn’t hold on to it, Parkin was unable to squeeze the loose ball into the net.

Although Town were enjoying the better of things, it was Brighton who went closest to scoring on 24 minutes.

Cullip’s long free-kick from the left touchline found Virgo but his sliding strike from eight yards lacked the pace to beat Evans.

Roberts held on to a Mooney strike before a foul on the hugely ineffective Leon Knight presented Richard Carpenter with a free-kick some 22 yards from goal.

Fortunately for the visitors, his luck was out on this occasion and the ball drifted harmlessly over the top.

Howard was proving a consistent threat down the left, providing a steady supply of crosses, albeit overhit on occasions.

Brighton’s defence remained intact however with Cullip and Guy Butters standing firm.

Town ended the half on a high with Gurney’s free-kick on the edge of the ‘D’ deflecting off the wall for a corner while Virgo was in the right place to clear Matt Heywood’s goalbound header after Parkin had flicked on.

Smith almost got the visitors off to the perfect start after the break.

After Hewlett had been fouled on the right touchline, the son of a Brighton legend, whipped in a 20-yard free-kick which beat Roberts and drifted agonisingly wide of the left post.

Igoe set Miglioranzi clear down the right just past the hour but his low cross was cut out at the near post by Daniel Harding. Moments later Gurney sliced a poor effort well wide of the left upright.

Knight’s evening came to a premature end after he collapsed in a heap under a challenge and was replaced by defender Adam Hinshelwood on 66 minutes.

Despite their reluctance to push forward, Brighton almost snatched the goal that would probably have settled the tie on 71 minutes.

Nathan Jones’ cross from the left dropped perfectly for Hinshelwood at the far post but his low drive was superbly kept out by Evans.

With 18 minutes remaining King decided to ‘go for it’ with Howard making way for Rory Fallon as Town pushed three upfront.

With time running out it looked as though Brighton would end the night with the 0-0 draw they had clearly set out for.

After a rare shot on target from Chris Iwelumo had deflected through to Evans, the Seagulls mocked their visitors as Mooney turned sharply before sending a rasping 20 yard strike crashing against the top of the crossbar.

‘You’ve hit the crossbar again’ they cried but the taunts stuck in the throat when Town finally broke the deadlock on 81 minutes.

Igoe’s low cross-shot from the right was only parried by Roberts and as the ball squirted across the area via Miglioranzi, Parkin was on hand to slam home from close range, his 23rd goal of the season and fourth against the Seagulls.

Brighton’s ‘plan’ was suddenly in tatters and Town sensed the tie was there for the taking.

Substitute Gary Hart rifled a drive wide of the left post before Smith crashed a free-kick into the wall and Mooney scuffed an 87th minute shot well wide after being played in by Parkin.

Referee Graham Laws brought proceedings to a halt and the two sides prepared for extra time.

Smith made way for Andy Nicholas but it was fellow substitute Fallon who triggered an explosion of joy among the travelling army just seven minutes into the extra period.

Mooney slipped a pass of exquisite quality into the New Zealander’s path and although his shot looped off Roberts, the ball landed deliciously in the back of the net.

Fallon raced away to celebrate with the Town faithful and King’s men were just 20 odd minutes from Cardiff.

John Piercy almost provided an instant response, thumping a drive into the side-netting but Town could have put the result beyond doubt when Mooney met a cross from the right and unleashed a volley towards the bottom left hand corner.

Sadly, Roberts was well placed to block the shot and the danger was cleared.

A back injury forced Igoe out of action at the start of the second period, with Alan Reeves introduced for the last 15 minutes.

Brighton pushed forward and after Cullip had blazed high and wide, Iwelumo latched on to Hart’s through ball only to shoot weakly at Evans.

Hinshelwood headed over from six yards with five minutes remaining.

Town looked to have done enough but just as thoughts began to turn to Cardiff, Brighton plundered a goal out of the blue.

Seven seconds into stoppage time, Cullip flicked on a throw from the left and Virgo hurled himself forward to plant a header into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

It was enough to ensure extra time and although Parkin, Heywood and Fallon made no mistake, Mooney’s miss gave the Seagulls the advantage and when Gurney struck a post it was the signal for Brighton to rock.

Cruel, so cruel and so wrong.

 

[afters]

well said crabbers

 

[Blackadder]

I've moved on!

Bring on the Bristol on Sunday!

 

[Muzzman]

Here, here... I think beating them the way we did is more than enough without making it look like we are an unfeeling, arrogant bunch of tossers. It only takes one person to act like a prize C**T in order for the whole club to be tarred with the same brush.

Let it go!

 

[Man of Harveys]

OK, but we can still be rude to them if they come on here acting the twat, no? Be fair.

 

[Lammy]

But they talk funny and everything! Come on! Please?

 

[chips and gravy]

The silence that came from their end after Virgo's equaliser after lording it over us for most of the extra time period was satisfaction enough for me.

I know we are there on Sunday after the biggest mugging I have ever witnessed so I don't need to rub it in any more

 

[Albion Rob]

I have to say, having not seen any of the match aside from the goals, that match report looks like the game was pretty even. The best shot ON TARGET was well saved by Evans, while the SWINNERS best chance apart from the goals was an off target shot from Mooney that hit the bar. Odd, but that report makes it sound like we had our chances too.

 

[fatbadger]

Agreed. It's completely unnecessary. Obviously that wanker stfc71 or whatever s/he's called, deserves a slagging for being a complete prick. The fact s/he is from Swindon is immaterial to the idiocy of him/her.

We were fairly lucky in the play-offs, although over the season we were, of course, the better side (the four points tell us). There is no need to make enemies of Swindon, they're (in the main) alright, and certainly no worse than anybody else in the division (or the league in general). Although, really, they should shut up with their 'it's so unfair/we were the best side' etc nonsense.

They must be among the favourites to go up next year - they are a good side. But then, so are we...

 

[Simster]

I have to say, having not seen any of the match aside from the goals, that match report looks like the game was pretty even. The only shot ON TARGET was well saved by Evans, while the SWINNERS best chance apart from the goals was an off target shot from Mooney that hit the bar. Odd, but that report makes it sound like we had our chances too.

It finishes by saying how WRONG the result was.

Sorry but the team that finished FOUR POINTS CLEAR is off to Cardiff after the aggregate score finished all square. What's so wrong about that?

 

[zefarelly]

Swin-what ? wheres that . . .never heard of it . . . .

 

[Lammy]

People say we were lucky but we were forced to defend in both legs. If the roles were reversed and Swindon played us away first it would be the same. The game plan was to defend at Swindon and hope we get a 0-0. Then it'w back to Withdean to tonk them. Fortunately we managed to sneak a goal at Swindon. We now had a lead to defend at home. As we have one of the best defensive records in the coutry at homoe we would be mad not to defend our lead. We were only 10mins away from doing this. Swindon on the other hand were forced to play attaching football in both legs. It doesn't mean they were better than us it just means we were both forced to play different styles of football. If they can't see this then they deserve all the abuse they get. McGhee had a game plan. It went better than expected in Swindon and we had to change our tactics at home. We got away with it (just) and like it has been said. Over 46 games (not two) we were proved to be 4pts better than themn anyway. The right team went up IMHO.

Or am I just Brighton's most blinkered fan?

 

[Lammy]

Football is not just about scoring goals but also about stopping the other team from scoring. Otherwise Keagan would be the best manager in the world!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

and if (heaven forbid) we lose on Sunday, we'll get soooooooo much abuse when we play them next season as well..

 

[zefarelly]

we can do abuse too you know . . . .most of them will have forgotten by then anyway . . . . its a mental/memory thing

 

[Jumper]

Its us who hate swindle
you hate eagles

 

[ripper]

So WHAT if they dissed us and have attacked our tactics,
So WHAT if Andy King said all that crap about us pre-games,
So WHAT if Mooney hit the bar on numerous occasions and missed a penalty.

We should just sit back and look forward to the final, if they are still bitter then just make a fleeting smile in their general direction and get on with it. To me they are just another second division team and that is all, all this bickering with them is pointless and very boring.

Look unto the future and ye shall be rewarded...with hopefully promotion!

Roll On Sunday

Totally agree

 

[Lammy]

I don't 'hate' Swindon at all! I just enjoy mocking them as we beat them. Even if the result was 'wrong'