By Tim Hodges at the Amex
Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Wrexham 1
The Albion drew with non- league Wrexham at the Amex this afternoon. During the latter stages of the match the Seagulls had four debutants on the pitch.
In the early stages it was Wrexham who were pressuring Albion. Jake Speight was looking extremly lively and was causing Romain Vincelot and Grant Hall a few problems.
Speight was very quick in and around the box. He was being supported up front by 38-year-old player manager Andy Morrell and Jamie Tolley just behind.
Peter Brezovan had to get down low to his left as Tolley let fly from just outside the box, a while later Tolley found himself with time a space on the edge of the D, but put his shot well wide.
As Wrexham contiuned to press Speight flashed a ball across the six-yard box which Matt Sparrow was on hand to clear.
Albion were getting to grips with the Conference side but were limited to long-range shots, from Kazenga LuaLua and Jake Forster-Caskey, although Will Buckley got free of his defender but Ashley Barnes could not get any power with his header from the resulting cross.
Before the half was out Brezovan dived bravely at the feet of Morrell and at the other end Mayebi spilt a cross, but no Albion player was on hand to connect to the loose ball.
Within two minutes of the restart LuaLua displayed all the skill, energy and precision that made him such at hit in League 1. He beat two men and teed up a cross into the six-yard box, which Forster-Caskey stabbed home to put Albion 1-0 in front.
Soon after, however, LuaLua pulled up sharply and was quickly substituted by Gus Poyet with Torbjorn Agdestein.
The Norwegain debutant linked up with Barnes who ploughed a central role.
Adgestein displayed some neat skill, beating his marker effortlessly at times but was just lacking that final ball.
Albion were enjoying the lions share of the play. But just as Yaser Kasim and Anton Rodgers took to the touchline in prepartion for their intoduction, Wrexham’s young Polish international Cieslewicz, ran at and past Ben Sampayo, and from the edge of the area he hit a shot which struck Hall and looped up over Brezovan for 1-1.
Wrexham and their fans went wild. At least one supporter had to be restained on the pitch by the stewards.
Albion now had six of the development squad on the pitch.
Rodgers was trying to find the range of his passing, more than once he tried to plant the ball into the penalty area, but just over hit his pass.
