By Tim Hodges from the Amex
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Leeds United 2
Albion failed to win again at the Amex tonight (Friday 2 November) after a hard fought draw with Leeds United.
The Seagulls took the game to Leeds from the kick off with a rejuvenated Will Buckley tormenting the Yorkshiremen’s defence.
It was Buckley who created Albion’s first real chance of the match, a clever nutmeg through the legs of Jason Pearce, but Craig Mackail-Smith was unable to find the net from close range.
Albion’s first ever million pound signing set up the Seagulls opener. Luke Varney tripped the tricky winger in the penalty area and Premier League referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot.
Mackail-Smith took over from Ashley Barnes in the hot seat and calmly dispatched the spot kick way out of Paddy Kenny’s reach.
Mackail-Smith could have made it two minutes later but rapped the outside of the post, again after good work by Buckley.
Andrea Orlandi, goal shy at the best of times, found himself all alone in the Leeds penalty area, with half an hour gone, but the Spaniard struck his shot into the ground and over bar.
Soon after, on a rare Leeds foray, Varney got involved in a tussle with Albion’s Bruno and the referee awarded his second penalty of the night.
The ever controversial El Hadji Diouf made it 1-1 and that’s how it stayed until half time.
Anyone grabbing a half-time pie or a pint might have missed Albion’ second. Orlandi and Buckley linked up well and cleverly played in Mackail-Smith, who shot past Kenny, in to the bottom corner to restore Albion’s lead on 47 minutes.
Albion tried to control Leeds with the tried and tested possession game but Michael Brown and Diouf were highly industrious and were causing the Seagulls a few problems.
Diouf had found a way to wind up Adam El-Abd and was pulling the Albion centre back all over the pitch.
Just after Luciano Becchio replaced Varney, Leeds equalised again, a shot from the edge of area by Brown appeared to clip Becchio and divert the ball past Tomasz Kuszczak for 2-2.
Albion tried hard to go for a late winner and were given the perfect opportunity when Mackail-Smith was up-ended in the penalty area. The referee awarded his third penalty of the night and sixth of the week.
The Albion striker himself stepped up for what looked to be his first Seagulls hat-trick but Kenny got down low to the left and smothered Mackail-Smith’s shot, although Mackail-Smith made a good enough connection with the ball.
Stephen Dobbie, who replaced Barnes late on, saw a scorcher from 20 yards fly narrowly over and right at the finish. And fellow substitute Andrew Crofts saw Kenny make a stunning save from close range after Crofts had clear sight of goal from 10 yards out.
The draw keeps the Albion ninth but with no win in seven matches.
Albion: Kuszczak; Bruno, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge; Bridcutt, Hammond, Orlandi; Buckley, Barnes, Mackail-Smith. Subs: Ankergren, Calderon, Dunk, Dicker, Crofts, David, Dobbie.
Leeds: Kenny; Byram, Lees, Pearce, Peltier; Byram, White, Austin, Brown, Tonge; Varney, Diouf. Subs: Ashdown, Becchio, Green, Pugh, Norris, Gray, Hall.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
