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1066gull
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Brighton vs Mansfield Town
Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club
1 - 2
Mansfield Town Football Club
Date:
05/01/2008
Venue:
Withdean Stadium
Attendance:
5,857
Referee:
R Beeby
By Paul Camillin
Albion are out of the FA Cup, after a forgettable afternoon at Withdean saw them slump 2-1 to lower-league opposition and bow out of the competition.
Goals from Matthew Hamshaw and Ian Holmes condemned Albion to a 2-1 defeat. Alex Revell did pull Albion level midway through the first half, but a superb defensive display from the League 2 side saw the Stags into the hat for round four.
The damage was done in the first half, as the Seagulls suffered a first-half horror show as Mansfield twice took the lead: first Hamshaw broke on the right, and from a tight angle unleashed a fierce drive across goal; although Michel Kuipers got a hand to the low shot, he couldn't prevent it from going in.
Revell looked to have set Albion back on track in the 23rd minute, when he headed in Dean Cox's neat free-kick for his fifth goal in three games, but Albion failed to learn their lesson as Mansfield again broke down the right wing in the final minute of the first half. Holmes slotted home Scott Brown's neat cross.
Sam Rents replaced Guy Butters at half-time, as Dean Wilkins reshuffled the back line, with Joel Lynch moving to centre-back alongside Tommy Elphick, but Mansfield's rear-guard continued to frustrate Albion. Adam El-Abd's cross shot which clipped the cross bar on the hour mark was the best Albion could muster.
A superb block from Tommy Elphick saved Albion from going further behind, after Holmes again found himself in too much space in the penalty area. Thankfully Elphick was quickly across to block the shot and keep Albion in the game.
With Mansfield continuing the frustrate, Albion sent on the Nathan Elder, but it was Mansfield - breaking against the run of play - who looked the more menacing: Brown and Nathan Arnold both tested Kuipers with ten minutes to play.
WIth time running out Elder saw a powerful trademark header well saved by Carl Muggleton, who until then had been brilliantly protected by the defence in front of him. Substitute Doug Loft saw a long-range effort deflected behind for a corner, but Albion simply couldn't break down Mansfield's defence.
Albion (4-4-2): Kuipers; El-Abd, Elphick, Butters (Rents 45), Lynch; Robinson (Elder 79), Reid, Fraser (Loft 62), Cox; Revell, Forster. Subs not used: Martot, Sullivan (Gk).
Mansfield (4-4-2): Muggleton; Mullins, Jelleyman, D'Laryea, Buxton; Hamshaw, Dawson, Martin, Arnold (Bell 81); Brown (Sleath 89), Holmes (Rory Boulding 74). Subs not used: White (Gk), Wood.
Yellow Cards: Lynch (Albion), Brown (Mansfield)
Referee: Richard Beeby
