Brighton 1-1 Blackburn

Our Seagulls correspondent Patrick Gleeson reports on Albion’s dismay at drawing with Blackburn.
Our Seagulls correspondent - Patrick GleesonOur Seagulls correspondent - Patrick Gleeson
Our Seagulls correspondent - Patrick Gleeson

Albion were left feeling frustrated at the full time whistle of their 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn.

Gus Poyet’s men controlled the game from start to finish but had to rely on a Vicente penalty to secure a point after Scott Dann headed the visitors in front midway through the first half.

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The Seagulls came flying out of the blocks and within 60 seconds of the game Dean Hammond had seen his strike charged down and Leonardo Ulloa had skewed his volley wide of the post.

Vicente then tested Kean with a piercing effort from 30 yards but the keeper came out on top, palming the ball away from danger.

Will Buckley nearly opened the scoring soon after with a limp attempt at a lob that fooled Kean and almost trickled into the net but the large keeper threw himself in the way.

Albion peppered the Rovers box with crosses in the first 20 minutes but the Lancashire side dealt with them easily and forced the hosts to try their luck from range, with Vicente and Bruno both firing wildly over.

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As it looked to be only a matter of time before Albion took the lead, Rovers went up the other end and nicked a goal themselves. As Danny Murphy whipped in a corner kick, Scott Dann did well to rise above the static defenders and nod the ball past a rooted Tomasz Kuszczak.

The goal instantly dampened the mood around the Amex and it spurred Blackburn into action. Martin Olsson picked out DJ Campbell who was lurking inside the Albion box, but the striker’s header did not match the delicious cross and flew over the bar.

Dean Hammond twice thought he had levelled the game on the stroke of half time, but both times spectacular saves by Kean denied the midfielder a rare goal. The former a header from a matter of yards blocked by an outstretched Kean, and the latter from even closer.

The second half was a drab affair compared to the first with Martin Olsson’s lashed shot towards goal about as close as either side came in the opening 10 minutes of the new period.

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It took a penalty kick for Albion to rescue a point in the reverse game at Ewood Park a few weeks ago, and they were awarded with the chance to re-enact that when the assistant referee flagged for a Markus Olsson handball in the box. Vicente - whose cross it was that was handled, stepped up and pummelled the ball past Kean.

Albion failed to find a winner in the remaining half an hour despite Ulloa, Hammond and substitute Kazenga LuaLua all coming close.

@PattyGlee