Hull City 0
Att. 6,823
Subs Not Used - Jones, Steele, Virgo
Subs Not Used - Swales, Wood
The Tigers were under pressure from the start and truth be told, never had a sizeable amount of time in the game when they were in control. And the home side gave them an early shock when Bobby Zamora put the ball in the back of the net, only to be ruled offside. But the repriee din't last long, as Brighton were awarded a penalty when Jon Whitney brought down Gary Hart just inside the area and the referee awrded a penalty. However, Zamora hit an awful shot which Paul Musselwhite saved.
Musselwhite could do nothing about the Seagulls opener 3 minutes befor ehalf-time, however. Stephen Melton ran the ball to the edge of the box, and tried to shoot at goal under a challenge from Justin Whittle. The midfielder seemed to scuff his shot and kick the ground, and went tumbling over. But referee Paul Alcock scandalously judged that he had been fouled and awarded a free-kick. Paul Watson responded by curling said free-kick in to the top corner. A bad time to lose a goal, but not the players fault.
The second half continued the same as the first, with Brighton on top generally. Worryingly, 5 minutes in, Paul Musselwhite had to go off with an ankle injury sustained in a first half challenge, and was replaced by Lee Bracey. We now have to wait and see how serious the injury is, but it hopefully shouldn't be that bad.
City did have a few minutes of pressure, forcing several corners, but couldn't really create any chances. And they were made to pay in the 69th minute when Melton dribbled in to the box and drove the ball past Bracey in to the bottom corner. The keeper had no chance.
Brian Little immediately brought on Theodore Whitmore for Kevin Francis, but the returning Jamaican star never really had chance to get in to the game. Jason Harris was also brought on for David Brown, but couldn't make an impact. Finally, thee home side brought on Darren Freeman and 38-year old Phil Stant, and they linked up to score Brighton's third. Freeman crossed the ball for Stant to perform a diving header which found the back of the net.
So The Tigers' heaviest defeat of the season, but in my book, one of their two hardest games of the season. They must now try and get something from Plymouth on Tuesday night, but it won't be easy. The Greens are coming up behind City in the table and beat league leaders Chesterfield 3-0 at Home Park today.
