All changed around the 55th Minute...

[CarolinaRover]

Well... after watching the game on the internet over here in the USA i can say that the rest of my afternoon/evening is ruined.

First half cannot fault whatsoever... Back 4 looked solid, looked a threat up front. Was a very niggly game, a lot of bad challenges.

Then the 55th Minute... Billy goes off, how is that not a STRAIGHT red card!! The ref felt the pressure from the occasion and Gus Poyet... After that it all changed. You could tell the players heads went down, they knew without Billy we would struggle and that isnt acceptable. Barnes reminded me of Price a hell of a lot, Naylor turned to hoofball and why on earth SOD always puts on a CB when we are trying to hold on, it NEVER works, he puts on a CB to tighten up but it just hinders because no one knows where to play! We did the same at Cardiff last year when he brought Webster on!!

Woods should have done better with the first goal, poor goalkeeping. And even then, the 4th official put the board up in the 93rd minute adding 7mins on, surley he should put it up in the 90th???? Then a very soft goal in the 98th minute!!

Absolutley fuming, after such a great first half, we end up with 2 crocked strikers... anyways it should've been a red card and the game is ours, all my pre season optimism has gone...

[comeonrovers]

I watched the same feed and was very disappointed in the way we played.  What the hell were oster and gillett doing in midfield.  They just kept giving the ball away.  

Why was barnes put on up top??  Brown would have been much better up there with barnes playing off him.  

Forget the sending off incident and the injuries our play in general was not of championship standard.  We didn't really go for that second goal to finish them off.  

Very very angry about this we threw the game away today. Sod better play some kids against tranmere dont want anyone else injured.

[CarolinaRover]

I do agree, we needed to go for that 2nd goal, but we seemed have no urgency/composure up top when Billy went off. I agree Brown would've been better than Barnes, he would've held it up while Barnes didn't offer much alone up top.

Don't wanna get drawn on the red card incident as its gone, but i honestly don't know where we go from here... we always looked like conceding, and from 70mins on wards had nothing to show in the attacking third.

I don't know what we've done to piss someone off but what are the chances of making our 3rd sub and Hayter getting injured and then putting 7mins added but end up playing 100!! Really confused.

But the one thing that really bugged me was putting Hird on to sure things up, we dont know how to play 5 at the back in the closing stages, thats how the 2nd goal came about, SOD has to realise this never works!!!

[RobTheRover]

First half we were the better side and deserved to go in with a lead.

I agree with Carolina - I cannot for the life of me see how the challenge on Sharp isnt a straight red.  The player has absolutely zero chance of getting the ball and is coming through the back of Sharp.  That is a leg breaker and exactly the type of challenge that FIFA have outlawed.  Seems no one told Eddie Ilderson, who caved in under the pressure.

To be honest, I expected a better showing from Brighton in the second half, and they duly stepped the pace up, but even so (aside from a crazy 10 minute spell in the middle of the half where the game became incredibly stretched) I never thought we would concede, let alone lose the game.  Their equaliser was a good strike through the legs of Spurr, so Woodsy saw it late, and was in the only spot Woodsy couldnt cover.  Harsh to blame Woodsy.  Spurr should have closed it down better, you could argue, but it all happened so fast from the poor defensive header.

Hayter's injury was one of those freak accidents.  If he'd been half a second quicker to get to that ball it could have been in the back of the net.  As it is, it is cleared and Hayter is injured.

To be honest, whilst disappointed with the result (and especially the way it was achieved - 7 mins of injury time, and they score at 97:24, then we play 2 more minutes after that) I think I've seen enough to know we are back on the right track.  Just hope Brown and Barnes can fill Hayter and Sharp's shoes (and stay injury free!)

[Wild Rover]

First half we were the better side and deserved to go in with a lead.

I agree with Carolina - I cannot for the life of me see how the challenge on Sharp isnt a straight red.  The player has absolutely zero chance of getting the ball and is coming through the back of Sharp.  That is a leg breaker and exactly the type of challenge that FIFA have outlawed.  Seems no one told Eddie Ilderson, who caved in under the pressure.

To be honest, I expected a better showing from Brighton in the second half, and they duly stepped the pace up, but even so (aside from a crazy 10 minute spell in the middle of the half where the game became incredibly stretched) I never thought we would concede, let alone lose the game.  Their equaliser was a good strike through the legs of Spurr, so Woodsy saw it late, and was in the only spot Woodsy couldnt cover.  Harsh to blame Woodsy.  Spurr should have closed it down better, you could argue, but it all happened so fast from the poor defensive header.

Hayter's injury was one of those freak accidents.  If he'd been half a second quicker to get to that ball it could have been in the back of the net.  As it is, it is cleared and Hayter is injured.

To be honest, whilst disappointed with the result (and especially the way it was achieved - 7 mins of injury time, and they score at 97:24, then we play 2 more minutes after that) I think I've seen enough to know we are back on the right track.  Just hope Brown and Barnes can fill Hayter and Sharp's shoes (and stay injury free!)

Rob, The tackle was no  worse than the one by Naylor, nor the 2 by Spurr. The time added on would have been shown at 90 min, if ball in play, it wasnt cos of Hayter injury, play restart around  94 min, that when added time starts.

Personally i thought it a lack Lustre performance, Brighton could have been 2 up before Sharp goal, Brighton fitness level superior, as was their football. The problem is there is NO Money available to replace BS or JH if either or both are long term.

[MachoMadness]

I would argue the tackle was worse than Naylor or Spurr's for the intent alone, never mind the fact he's crnuched into the back of Sharp's ankle. Dunk had no intention of playing the ball and no chance of getting it. There was no reason to go in for that tackle other than to take the player out, whereas Naylor and Spurr, while making clumsy challenges, seemed to be attempting to play the ball.

I think Rob has it spot on. 1st half we were very comfortable, and in the 2nd half Brighton improved after we got rattled by Sharp's injury but still didn't offer too much. It was a great strike that got the equaliser and yet more bad luck seeing Hayter go off. It can't be good for your concentration seeing 2 of your mates with potential broken legs, can it?

We were poor in the 2nd half but still didn't deserve to lose.