Brighton and Hove Albion 3 Exeter City 0
The Seagulls took apart a ragged Exeter City at Withdean on Tuesday night, with a ruthlessness now becoming synonymous with Gus Poyets men
The Grecians had been so ravaged by illness that the players elected to travel in small groups by car, instead of travelling all together by coach.
And it was this apparently this makeshift team that conceded the fastest Withdean goal of the season so far, when Adam El Abd headed home an Elliot Bennett corner
The Albion were then in all their glorious pomp, and were spraying passes around much to the delight of the Withdean crowd and their appreciative ole’s.
Exeter however were putting a few telling moves together themselves and through the old stalwart Marcus Stewart even won a couple of corners.
Casper Ankergren looked assured in the Albion goal and even forced his opposite number to be alert as he launched a fearsome clearance upfield.
Then a combination of passes that started with captain Greer and involved Kishishev ,Lua Lua, Painter and Murray, until the latter was tripped in the penalty area ,gave Albion a two goal cushion, as Ashley Barnes scored from the spot.
Albion continued to come forward Lua Lua , after initially being cautious, had outthought the Exeter full back Tully and was beginning to supply his customary crosses and fearsome shots.
The Albion, as is now becoming the norm, were well on top at half time.
The second period continued were the first had left off with Lua Lua and now Bennett given the visitors defence a torrid. And again with ruthless efficiency and repetition Radostin Kishischev would break up what ever attacking play Exeter could muster, and play the ball short to Dicker, who would get the Albion back on an excursion towards the opposition goal.
It was Dicker who played the ball towards Murray, but his miscontrol allowed it to run loose to Barnes, who from just outside the box hit a low shot to put the Albion into a 3-0 lead.
Exeter had a couple of chances to get a consolation most notabably from a wild Gordon Greer slice
But it was both of Albion Argentinean subs who had great chances for the final goal, Baz had his shot smothered by the Keeper and Battipiedi had two great shots flash wide.
The Albion beat a team who fought hard, easily.
Albion: Ankergren; Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Painter; Bennett, Kishishev, Dicker, LuaLua; Barnes, Murray. Subs: Brezovan, Elphick, Battipiedi, Baz, Agdestein, Smith, Bridcutt.
Exeter: Krysiak; Tully, Archibald-Henville, Edwards, B.Jones; Dunne, Noble, Cozic, Sercombe; Stewart, Norwood. Subs: P.Jones, Duffy, Nardiello, Golbourne, Logan, Thomson, Heath.
Ref: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire
