Liz and I ended up in an eat all you can Chinese buffet, the beer sadly wasnt included in the price!
We wandered to the ground and got in just after 7.30. The stand we were in was very different to our last visit. It now offers a superb unrestricted view, we were in the same place as last time, but boy what a difference.
It appears the clubs 3 for 1 offer was in use on haircuts as Hart, Hinshelwood and El-Abd all sported nicely shaven heads! The line up for the match was
Henderson
El-Abd Butters McShane Lynch (Reid)
Hinshelwood Carpenter Mayo Frutos
Gatting (Robinson) Hart (CKR)
I think we finished the game with
Henderson
Butters McShane Mayo
El-Abd Reid Carpenter
CKR Robinson Frutos
The game had a lively start and Gatting headed a good chance wide. Huckerby looked dangerous, very skillful and quick, eventually El-Abd made a mistake, failed to head a ball clear and it in fact skimmed of his head into the path of Huckerby. He controled it superbly, cut in with speed and smashed the ball home in the top corner.
It was a great finish.
We continued battling and Frutos was having a fantastic game in midfield.
Suddenly Frutos broke free, played a lovely ball through to Hart who was clear with a one on one with the keeper, but he didnt lift the ball and the advancing, sliding Green in the Norwich goal blocked it fairly easily.
Second half saw Hinsh get his marching orders (first booking was for kicking the ball away which saw 2 other players (incl McShane) being booked for doing the same thing - (stupid stupid bookings).
Norwich looked poor against the 10 men, who battled hard, Frutos involved in everything. Gatting had a good shot on the turn, then it was handed over to Robinson and CKR to try and score.
We were basically down to a back three of Butters, McShane and Mayo as everyone else pushed up.
Norwich then broke again, Huckerby outpaced Reid, he side footed to Earnshaw who broke his Norwich duck.
The Norwich fans were still booing against Worthington, they booed every sub, every time he came out his box. In the clsoing minutes Huckerby again supplied a perfect cross for Earnshaw and 0-3 was harsh on the team.
McShane, Henderson and Mayo had a set too with each other. El-Abd looked despondant as he knew the 1st goal was his fault.
A great turn out from the Albion fans (500+?), but the noise was poor, even the 23,500 home fans were quiet for long periods. A nightmare drive back in very strong winds and rain.
Henderson - 6 nothing he could do about any of the goals
El-Abd - 4 run ragged by Huckerby
Butters - 5 stood firm, but pace left him high and dry for goals 2and 3
McShane - 4 running round like a mad man, clearly frustrated with inability of colleagues
Lynch - 6 good first half, but tired second half
Carpenter - 5 way way off the pace again, but did put in several crunching tackles and some great corners
Mayo - 5 drifted in and out the game
Hinshelwood - 6 looked fit and up for it. Shame about the red card!
Frutos - 9 my MOTM for us by miles. Battled back, attacked, great skill, 90 mins of effort
Hart - 4 never in the game, missed a golden chance at 0-1
Gatting - 5 held the ball up OK, missed a good chance at 0-0
CKR - 4 didnt spark anything
Robinson - 6 at least he ran at the defence
Reid - 4 regularly gave away the ball, caught for pace on the 2nd goal
One highlight of the evening was when 2 Norwich fans to our right started singing "Brightons full of gays it's full of gays" (they are so original!).
The Police by us were watching them carefully and before anyone complained the two lads were arrested and ejected. Nice one!