By Tim Hodges from the Amex
Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Hull City 0
The Albion beat Hull City with a late goal from substitute Vicente Rodriguez but have to thank Polish international goal Tomasz Kuszczak for some stunning second-half saves.
The first half was a stark contrast to what was to come in the second period. Both teams found it difficult to cut out chances. Ahmed Elmohamady did create an opening for Jay Simpson who blasted well over Kuszczak’s cross bar.
With Bruno Saltor back at right back, Albion were benefiting from his overlapping runs. And it was Bruno who had Albion’s first chance of note but his shot hit Albion’s former Selhurst Park hero Paul McShane and went wide.
Albion began to edge in to superiority and, with Matthew Upson looking comfortable at the back alongside Adam El-Abd, took a grip on the game.
Just after the half hour, and with Bruno involved again, David Lopez hit a snap shot from the edge of the area which David Stockdale had to push away for a corner.
Leo Ulloa and Craig Mackail-Smith were not linking up together as well as expected but were both involved enough to cause Hull problems.
Ulloa’s physical presence and Mackail-Smith’s speed and persistence are something that Albion will want to build on in the coming months.
Towards the end of the first half Ulloa won the free kick from which Andrea Orlandi nearly put Albion in front.
Orlandi swept the ball over the wall from the right-hand side of the D but Stockdale got a fist to it and parried it over.
Before half time David crossed in, seemingly looking for Ulloa, but the big Argentine’s header was tame and straight at Stockdale.
Whatever Steve Bruce said to his Tigers at half time, it worked.
Robert Koren, especially, sprang to life. Upson cleared away far too close to Albion’s goal-lone then Koren blasted a free-kick wide.
Dean Hammond, who had done the necessary, was replaced by the fans’ favourite Vicente as the clock ticked towards the hour.
The former Valencia hero was soon involved with a truly sublime pass to Wayne Bridge whose cross was back-heeled by Ulloa into the path of Orlandi. But the former Swansea man blasted the chance from in front of goal and 10 yards out.
Hull sensed their good fortune and, from nothing, Robbie Brady let fly from 30 yards but Kuszczak, back pedalling, expertly tipped it over the bar.
Just after Will Buckley replaced Bruno, Albion were trying to adjust to a new defensive shape. Amid all this, Elmohamady had a shot from the edge of the area through a crowd of bodies. Somehow Kuszczak managed to palm it away low down to his left.
It was a moment that turned the game in Albion’s favour.
Buckley, involved for the first time, took on his man and played a short pass on the edge of the Hull penalty area to Vicente who was up- ended right in front of Referee Attwell.
It was such an inviting position for the Spaniard and the man who has been out for six months of the season, and written off in some quarters , blasted the ball through the wall and under Stockdale to put the Seagulls in front with just six minutes to play.
Attwell then gave Hull an almost carbon copy chance at the other end but Stephen Quinn blasted his shot into the crowd.
Albion held on with a well disciplined defensive show in the four minutes of stoppage time and have put themselves right back in the play-off mix up and just eight points off automatic promotion.
Albion: Kuszczak; Bruno, El-Abd, Upson, Bridge; Bridcutt, Hammond, David; Orlandi, Ulloa, Mackail-Smith. Subs: Ankergren, Calderon, Dicker, LuaLua, Buckley, Vicente, Hoskins.
Hull City: Stockdale; Chester, Hobbs, McShane; Elmohamady, Meyler, Bruce, Quinn, Brady; Koren; Simpson. Subs: Jakupovic, Rosenior, Evans, Cairney, Olofinjana, Proschwitz, Gedo.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton)
