Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Sheffield Wednesday 0
By Tim Hodges at Withdean
The Albion moved to within 3 points of promotion to the Football League Championship as they overcame an apparently resurgent Sheffield Wednesday with consummate ease.
A scorching hot Withdean, full to capacity, witnessed the Albion slowly dismantle the Owls almost from kick off.
Glenn Murray and Chris Wood caused the Wednesday defence many problems.
Woods’s penetrating runs are not easy to deal with, nor is Murray’s pace and determination.
However, it was Craig Noone who caused the opposition most problems in the first half , at one point cutting in from the byline and beating three or four players but sadly not supplying the defining ball.
Despite much Albion possession it was the visitors who had the first chance of note as Buxton unleashed a shot which Ankergren had to deal with.
The Albion still took the game to the Owls and on the half hour, after a mini scramble, Marcos Painters header was cleared from underneath the cross bar by Buxton.
Late in the half and from a Calderon throw in, Gary Dicker crossed into the area only for Murray to be practically rugby tackled by Batth.
Chris Wood who is the most recent Albion player NOT to miss from the spot despatched the resulting penalty, for a 1-0 half time lead.
The sun continued to beat down in the second half. Murray and Noone went close on the hour mark.
Murray heading a Dicker cross just over the bar.
Sheffield Wednesday weren’t offering their travelling fans much in the way of entertainment with Clinton Morrison looking tired and disinterested up front.
Meanwhile Liam Bridcutt in his ‘Foster’ type headband/bandage was completely bossing the midfield.
Barnes replaced the tiring Noone , and not long after Dicker got free down the left . He crossed in to the area where Murray completely missed his kick.
However, the ball ran loose to Bennett, who rifled a scorcher in to the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
2-0 to Albion and game over.
All that was left was for El Abd and Greer to have an altercation as they blamed each other for allowing Morrison to get into the penalty area.
Then as Bridcutt prepared to take a free kick about 40 yards from goal, Greer and El Abd appeared to became involved in a fracas with various Wednesday players.
Although Greer appeared to be playing peacemaker, he was sent off for violent conduct for the second time this season. He may now only be available for the last two games of the season.
As the final whistle sounded, Albion were clear of the field and racing towards the ‘elbow’ in Grand National terms.
And then we discovered Albion’s 91 years as the only Football League club in Sussex was over, as Crawley Town were promoted to League Two.
Congratulations to them.
Albion: Ankergren; Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Painter; Bridcutt, Dicker, Bennett; Noone, Murray, Wood. Subs: Brezovan, Elphick, Navarro, Kishishev, Sparrow, Sandaza, Barnes.
Sheffield Wednesday: O’Donnell, Otsemobor, Batth, R.Johnson, Buxton; Sedgwick, O’Brien, O’Connor, J.Johnson; Mellor, Morrison. Subs: Nicholls, Potter, R.Jones, Teale, Heffernan, Coke, Madine.
Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire)
