StonehamPark
#Brighton-Nil
It's not often we get great reviews from the media, two thumping ones here (click on links for full reports):
--
The Independent
Every soaring tale requires a fall guy.
Compelled to quit the dance- floor early in order to catch the bus leaving Bigg
Market at 2.30am, the Toon armada already felt like victims. Almost 2,000 made
the 400-mile, six-hour trip. You wonder if they would have bothered had they
known their team would not be turning up.
Maybe the staff and players of Newcastle United should have surrendered their luxury travel home in favour of a seat on the bus with the fans. There is nothing like a bit of terrace critique to drive a message home.
Yes, Alan Pardew was without seven first-team players and was forced to reach deep into his squad, but this defeat was not simply a matter of quality. There was no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on the Brighton teamsheet either. What the Championship club had was commitment and desire from front to back.
And so Pardew bids farewell to the FA Cup in the third round for the second time as Newcastle manager. This was the fourth time Newcastle have faced Brighton in this competition and they have yet to progress. At least last year they made it to the fourth round before lying down.
In fact, this display was arguably worse than the defeat by Stevenage at the same stage two years ago, another carbuncle on the record of an institution who have won the old pot six times and finished runners-up on seven occasions.
Newcastle are a long way from those honeyed, post-war days of Wor Jackie and Bobby Mitchell, and Pardew does not carry the can for that, but he might pay heavily if there is much more of this. To make matters worse, the centre-forward who left them for Chelsea as soon as the transfer window opened, Demba Ba, was on his new club's scoresheet twice after they had fallen behind at Southampton.
The loss of Shola Ameobi to a dubious red card an hour into this game did not alter the course of events, it merely tipped the balance further in Brighton's favour. Their manager, Gus Poyet, might consider goals in the 33rd minute and three minutes from time underachievement given the domination his side enjoyed for all but the closing stages of the first half.
James Perch kept Newcastle level in the eighth minute, clearing Gary Dicker's header off the line. And Rob Elliott was at full stretch to gather a drive from David Lopez in the 15th minute. Setting the tempo for the home side was minimalist schemer Liam Bridcutt. The former Chelsea youngster is on the shopping list of a host of Premier League clubs. His passing and vision in front of the back four was one of the many puzzles Newcastle could not crack.
Yet the short-passing blueprint that Bridcutt exemplifies was momentarily ripped up for the opening goal, when captain Gordon Greer swept a long, diagonal ball down the left in search of Wayne Bridge. In a reprise of the form that made him an England full-back, Bridge switched on the afterburners to chase the ball down and square from the dead-ball line. Andrea Orlandi was first to react, flicking the ball up with his right foot before turning it past Elliott acrobatically with his left.
Without frontline warriors of the quality of Papiss Cissé, Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Cheick Tioté, Steven Taylor and skipper Fabricio Coloccini, Pardew found his second-string wanting. Gabriel Obertan and Sam Ameobi were peripheral figures, and that had nothing to do with their postings out wide. Gael Bigirimana and Vurnon Anita were busy in midfield but not creative, leading to a starvation diet for the elder Ameobi up front.
Substitute Sylvain Marveaux forced Greer into a block once Newcastle were down to 10 men and Nile Ranger headed over from a corner; not much to chew over for the fans on the long journey home. Not so the Brighton faithful, who went home doubly happy courtesy of a sweet finish by substitute Will Hoskins, picked out nicely by Lopez. As good as the pass was it should not be allowed to deflect from his shameful overreaction to the challenge of Shola Ameobi, who was red-carded for a second offence. "Disappointing to see that in a fellow professional," Pardew said. "The foul is nothing. He takes a look up, sees the ref walking over and starts rolling around. That did not help."
Neither did it alter the course of events. Brighton are flying under Poyet in a home fit for the Premier League. He acknowledged that his team were fortunate to be meeting opposition diminished by the loss of key players, but praised the quality in his team.
"We were a bit lucky that Newcastle had so many top players missing but we stuck to our game. Though we did not create as many chances as we normally do we played well and deserved the victory."
Brighton (4-1-4-1): Ankergren; David Lopez, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge; Bridcutt; Hammond (Crofts, 82), Orlandi (Lua Lua, 60), Barnes, Dicker; Mackail-Smith (Hoskins, 70).
Newcastle (4-5-1): Elliott; Tavernier, Perch (Dummett, 45), Williamson, Santon; Anita, Abeid (Ranger, 45), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux, 70), Sam Ameobi; Shola Ameobi.
Referee: Lee Probert.
Man of the match: Bridcutt (Brighton)
Match rating: 7/10
BBC Football
Andrea Orlandi scored a delightful opener after the half-hour mark before the Premier League Magpies suffered a further setback when Shola Amoebi was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Newcastle have now played 16 away games in all competitions this season and have not won any of them. Newcastle offered little as they fell to a seventh defeat in eight games.
This was an impressive victory for Brighton, a result that will add to the optimism that surrounds this upwardly mobile club and strengthen their resolve to host Newcastle in next season's Premier League. The cool passing game of Liam Bridcutt at the heart of their midfield was tremendous.
But this was another dark day in what has become a chastening season for Newcastle. It is the third season in a row the Premier League side have been knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition and the fourth successive time they have lost to Brighton in the competition.
Nine defeats in 11 league games has done little to encourage harmony at St James' Park, while the departure of Demba Ba and injuries to key players have undermined the club's efforts to build on last season's success.
Long before kick-off, this tie bore all the hallmarks of a third-round upset. Newcastle had an unfamiliar look, and not only because of their burgundy shirts, having been forced to name a side lacking Fabricio Coloccini, Papiss Cisse, Yohan Cabaye, Steven Taylor and a string of other leading names because of injury and absence.
Brothers in arms, Shola and Sammy Ameobi became the first brothers to start in the same Newcastle side since George and Ted Robledo graced St James' Park, winning the FA Cup together in 1952.
With only 13 league places separating the sides, Brighton sensed a chance to repeat last season's fourth-round victory and went for the jugular from the off.
Sharper to the ball, and swifter to make use of it, the Seagulls toyed with their more celebrated opponents for much of the opening 45 minutes, producing some stylish attacking moves while tackling, battling and dominating territory in their uncomplicated and effective way.
They might have snatched the lead after eight minutes, when Gary Dicker forced James Perch to head off the line from Lopez's right-wing cross. Lopez himself threatened again moments later, stinging Rob Elliot's palms with a fierce drive from wide on the right.
It took 20 minutes for the visitors to find their feet, but just as they appeared to be gaining a measure of control, Brighton scored.
A rejuvenated Wayne Bridge surged down the left flank, gathered Gordon Greer's raking 50-yard pass and crossed for Orlandi, who flicked the ball up with his left foot and delightfully fired home with the outside of the same boot.
Pardew threw Nile Ranger and Paul Dummett on at half-time but his side's prospects of turning the tide looked remote even before referee Lee Probert showed Shola Amoebi a second yellow card for a foul on Lopez.
With humiliation looming, Newcastle found hope. Home goalkeeper Casper Ankergren was forced to his left to claw the ball away after Greer inadvertently diverted Sammy Ameobi's cutback towards goal, moments after Sylvain Marveaux saw a fierce shot blocked en route to goal .
But with a reviving Newcastle pushing on, Brighton landed the decisive blow. Lopez broke into space and found Hoskins with a glorious through-ball, and the substitute beat the offside trap and slid the ball home to spark jubilant scenes on the south coast. Lightning had struck twice.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet:
"It was all down to my players.
"They realised the opportunity and we were lucky that Newcastle couldn't bring their best players but we had to take advantage and we did.
"With all respect to them today, when you have a team Coloccini, Cisse, Cabaye they are ten times better than you. But today we were equal in general play and that was advantage. We didn't create too many chances today but we were a good team to play against a Premier League team."
--
The Independent
Brighton's Hoskins exposes the poverty of Alan Pardew's Newcastle United
Every soaring tale requires a fall guy.
Compelled to quit the dance- floor early in order to catch the bus leaving Bigg
Market at 2.30am, the Toon armada already felt like victims. Almost 2,000 made
the 400-mile, six-hour trip. You wonder if they would have bothered had they
known their team would not be turning up.
Maybe the staff and players of Newcastle United should have surrendered their luxury travel home in favour of a seat on the bus with the fans. There is nothing like a bit of terrace critique to drive a message home.
Yes, Alan Pardew was without seven first-team players and was forced to reach deep into his squad, but this defeat was not simply a matter of quality. There was no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on the Brighton teamsheet either. What the Championship club had was commitment and desire from front to back.
And so Pardew bids farewell to the FA Cup in the third round for the second time as Newcastle manager. This was the fourth time Newcastle have faced Brighton in this competition and they have yet to progress. At least last year they made it to the fourth round before lying down.
In fact, this display was arguably worse than the defeat by Stevenage at the same stage two years ago, another carbuncle on the record of an institution who have won the old pot six times and finished runners-up on seven occasions.
Newcastle are a long way from those honeyed, post-war days of Wor Jackie and Bobby Mitchell, and Pardew does not carry the can for that, but he might pay heavily if there is much more of this. To make matters worse, the centre-forward who left them for Chelsea as soon as the transfer window opened, Demba Ba, was on his new club's scoresheet twice after they had fallen behind at Southampton.
The loss of Shola Ameobi to a dubious red card an hour into this game did not alter the course of events, it merely tipped the balance further in Brighton's favour. Their manager, Gus Poyet, might consider goals in the 33rd minute and three minutes from time underachievement given the domination his side enjoyed for all but the closing stages of the first half.
James Perch kept Newcastle level in the eighth minute, clearing Gary Dicker's header off the line. And Rob Elliott was at full stretch to gather a drive from David Lopez in the 15th minute. Setting the tempo for the home side was minimalist schemer Liam Bridcutt. The former Chelsea youngster is on the shopping list of a host of Premier League clubs. His passing and vision in front of the back four was one of the many puzzles Newcastle could not crack.
Yet the short-passing blueprint that Bridcutt exemplifies was momentarily ripped up for the opening goal, when captain Gordon Greer swept a long, diagonal ball down the left in search of Wayne Bridge. In a reprise of the form that made him an England full-back, Bridge switched on the afterburners to chase the ball down and square from the dead-ball line. Andrea Orlandi was first to react, flicking the ball up with his right foot before turning it past Elliott acrobatically with his left.
Without frontline warriors of the quality of Papiss Cissé, Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Cheick Tioté, Steven Taylor and skipper Fabricio Coloccini, Pardew found his second-string wanting. Gabriel Obertan and Sam Ameobi were peripheral figures, and that had nothing to do with their postings out wide. Gael Bigirimana and Vurnon Anita were busy in midfield but not creative, leading to a starvation diet for the elder Ameobi up front.
Substitute Sylvain Marveaux forced Greer into a block once Newcastle were down to 10 men and Nile Ranger headed over from a corner; not much to chew over for the fans on the long journey home. Not so the Brighton faithful, who went home doubly happy courtesy of a sweet finish by substitute Will Hoskins, picked out nicely by Lopez. As good as the pass was it should not be allowed to deflect from his shameful overreaction to the challenge of Shola Ameobi, who was red-carded for a second offence. "Disappointing to see that in a fellow professional," Pardew said. "The foul is nothing. He takes a look up, sees the ref walking over and starts rolling around. That did not help."
Neither did it alter the course of events. Brighton are flying under Poyet in a home fit for the Premier League. He acknowledged that his team were fortunate to be meeting opposition diminished by the loss of key players, but praised the quality in his team.
"We were a bit lucky that Newcastle had so many top players missing but we stuck to our game. Though we did not create as many chances as we normally do we played well and deserved the victory."
Brighton (4-1-4-1): Ankergren; David Lopez, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge; Bridcutt; Hammond (Crofts, 82), Orlandi (Lua Lua, 60), Barnes, Dicker; Mackail-Smith (Hoskins, 70).
Newcastle (4-5-1): Elliott; Tavernier, Perch (Dummett, 45), Williamson, Santon; Anita, Abeid (Ranger, 45), Bigirimana, Obertan (Marveaux, 70), Sam Ameobi; Shola Ameobi.
Referee: Lee Probert.
Man of the match: Bridcutt (Brighton)
Match rating: 7/10
---------------------------------------------------------
BBC Football
Championship side Brighton knocked 10-man Newcastle out of the FA Cup for a second straight season to heap more misery on Alan Pardew's squad.
Andrea Orlandi scored a delightful opener after the half-hour mark before the Premier League Magpies suffered a further setback when Shola Amoebi was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Newcastle have now played 16 away games in all competitions this season and have not won any of them. Newcastle offered little as they fell to a seventh defeat in eight games.
This was an impressive victory for Brighton, a result that will add to the optimism that surrounds this upwardly mobile club and strengthen their resolve to host Newcastle in next season's Premier League. The cool passing game of Liam Bridcutt at the heart of their midfield was tremendous.
But this was another dark day in what has become a chastening season for Newcastle. It is the third season in a row the Premier League side have been knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition and the fourth successive time they have lost to Brighton in the competition.
Nine defeats in 11 league games has done little to encourage harmony at St James' Park, while the departure of Demba Ba and injuries to key players have undermined the club's efforts to build on last season's success.
Long before kick-off, this tie bore all the hallmarks of a third-round upset. Newcastle had an unfamiliar look, and not only because of their burgundy shirts, having been forced to name a side lacking Fabricio Coloccini, Papiss Cisse, Yohan Cabaye, Steven Taylor and a string of other leading names because of injury and absence.
Brothers in arms, Shola and Sammy Ameobi became the first brothers to start in the same Newcastle side since George and Ted Robledo graced St James' Park, winning the FA Cup together in 1952.
With only 13 league places separating the sides, Brighton sensed a chance to repeat last season's fourth-round victory and went for the jugular from the off.
Sharper to the ball, and swifter to make use of it, the Seagulls toyed with their more celebrated opponents for much of the opening 45 minutes, producing some stylish attacking moves while tackling, battling and dominating territory in their uncomplicated and effective way.
They might have snatched the lead after eight minutes, when Gary Dicker forced James Perch to head off the line from Lopez's right-wing cross. Lopez himself threatened again moments later, stinging Rob Elliot's palms with a fierce drive from wide on the right.
It took 20 minutes for the visitors to find their feet, but just as they appeared to be gaining a measure of control, Brighton scored.
A rejuvenated Wayne Bridge surged down the left flank, gathered Gordon Greer's raking 50-yard pass and crossed for Orlandi, who flicked the ball up with his left foot and delightfully fired home with the outside of the same boot.
Pardew threw Nile Ranger and Paul Dummett on at half-time but his side's prospects of turning the tide looked remote even before referee Lee Probert showed Shola Amoebi a second yellow card for a foul on Lopez.
With humiliation looming, Newcastle found hope. Home goalkeeper Casper Ankergren was forced to his left to claw the ball away after Greer inadvertently diverted Sammy Ameobi's cutback towards goal, moments after Sylvain Marveaux saw a fierce shot blocked en route to goal .
But with a reviving Newcastle pushing on, Brighton landed the decisive blow. Lopez broke into space and found Hoskins with a glorious through-ball, and the substitute beat the offside trap and slid the ball home to spark jubilant scenes on the south coast. Lightning had struck twice.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet:
"It was all down to my players.
"They realised the opportunity and we were lucky that Newcastle couldn't bring their best players but we had to take advantage and we did.
"With all respect to them today, when you have a team Coloccini, Cisse, Cabaye they are ten times better than you. But today we were equal in general play and that was advantage. We didn't create too many chances today but we were a good team to play against a Premier League team."
