Bristol Rovers v Brighton - April 2009

[The Large One]

Bristol Rovers 1 (Lambert)
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (Owusu, Andrew)

Adam Virgo recently described the away match towards the end of the 2008/09 season away at Bristol Rovers as 'his best-ever match', and the Withdean Years DVD mentions it as being an amazing night. The Bristol Rovers board were, according to Dick Knight, totally won over with the passion and drive of the Brighton contingent, and I notice with the talk of Russell Slade doing well, it is bringing back some memories on here.

I wasn't there - it sounds as though I missed out on something special. So for those who were there, was it the great night people talk about? I know it was a vital win in our relegation scrap, but was it a red-letter day for the Albion?

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Lloyd O and OGH worked their arses off. We made a lot of noise. A great away day, although my abiding memory of that period was Tommy Fraser's overhead kick at Hereford. An unlikely goal in an unbelievable run.

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

What a job Slade did that season. We'd looked completely doomed when he took over. Really pleased to see him doing so well lately, even if it is at a club we had to borrow as a rival for a bit during our wilderness years.

 

[Giraffe]

It was a strange period. Am I wrong in recalling that Gary Hart was having the time of his life playing with Owusu? I recall it being his swansong, but it almost seems too recent to be the case.

Pretty sure he ran their defence ragged that night.

 

[Luke93]

I preferred the more recent trip when we won promotion. Bennett had a blinder, and Hoskins ran the show for them.

 

[The Large One]

It was a strange period. Am I wrong in recalling that Gary Hart was having the time of his life playing with Owusu? I recall it being his swansong, but it almost seems too recent to be the case.

Pretty sure he ran their defence ragged that night.

We had two more seasons (plus one match) from Gary Hart after that.

Matt Sparrow scored the last-ever Brighton goal at Withdean (v Huddersfield), after a dummy from OGH. Naturally, the crowd spotted this and chanted OGH's name, rather Matty's.

 

[Grombleton]

I was always baffled during that period - it was a time when we rarely had a keeper on the bench as cover.

No keeper, but included Hawkins & McLeod. Odd. Also that night included Borrowdale at LB...i forgot he was on loan to us for a while.

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

I went to that game, avec with HKFC and Carrot Cruncher. It was a special night as we played well and got a result we really needed against good opposition. It really encapsulated the 'great escape' of that season, as OGH had a stormer, Owusu and him had the perfect partnership that night.

It also meant that things were in our hands for the remaining game(s) (not sure on that) which was vital.

The atmosphere on the away terrace was something special too.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Bristol Rovers 1 (Lambert)
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (Owusu, Andrew)

Adam Virgo recently described the away match towards the end of the 2008/09 season away at Bristol Rovers as 'his best-ever match', and the Withdean Years DVD mentions it as being an amazing night. The Bristol Rovers board were, according to Dick Knight, totally won over with the passion and drive of the Brighton contingent, and I notice with the talk of Russell Slade doing well, it is bringing back some memories on here.

I wasn't there - it sounds as though I missed out on something special. So for those who were there, was it the great night people talk about? I know it was a vital win in our relegation scrap, but was it a red-letter day for the Albion?

I preferred the more recent trip when we won promotion. Bennett had a blinder, and Hoskins ran the show for them.

I went to that game, avec with HKFC and Carrot Cruncher. It was a special night as we played well and got a result we really needed against good opposition. It really encapsulated the 'great escape' of that season, as OGH had a stormer, Owusu and him had the perfect partnership that night.

It also meant that things were in our hands for the remaining game(s) (not sure on that) which was vital.

The atmosphere on the away terrace was something special too.

I was at both games (and in fact the original night for the former, when it was called off 20 minutes before kick off). The 4-2 win was fun, but the 2-1 was an amazing night - one of the best I've ever experienced in my 30+ years of watching the Albion. Owusu, Hart playing some great stuff. Virgo and co at the back working their collective tits off. Fabulous performance from Adam Hinshelwood. Tremenduous winning goal from Calvin Andrew. Brilliant scenes of mentalism on the little terrace. Drinks were spilled. Someone's spectacles got smashed. Marvellous.

 

[SweatyMexican]

Any highlights, just to relive the moment. I know Owusu's goal is on youtube somewhere.

 

[WhingForPresident]

The celebrations were amazing when the second went in. All doing the Lloyd Owusu dance as pasties and pints go flying everywhere. Was one of my favourite Albion away fixtures ever.

After the MK Dons game there was a real feeling that we were doomed. I remember Whingy being the only player not copping loads of shit that game, chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" etc aimed at Snoopy (and perhaps Seb Carole )- it felt like we were hopeless at that point, so to pull out the result we did was pretty special. Owusu, Hart and Andrew were class that game.

Oh, and it was great for "OHHHHH GARY HAAAAAART" over and over again.

 

[Jesus Gul]

Tremenduous winning goal from Calvin Andrew.

Who was he on loan from again? Anyway massive thanks to his parent club. Very important result.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lense]

I was due to be travelling to Leeds with work that evening and left Guildford to do so. A moment of "madness" took over and I turned left at the M4 and drove to Bristol. Paid on the gate having missed the 1st 15 minutes and stood in my suit. My memory tells me that we went 1-0 down, and then Gary Hart seemed to cause havoc with every forward burst,. Couldn't remember who scored but my suit got drinks spilled all over it as the winner went in!! Drove on to Leeds, knackered but oh so happy!

 

[abc]

It was a great night. Curious thing is that most of my best memories come from when we had, whether as a team or a club, our backs against the wall. The Premiership may be a great goal for the future but I wouldnt change the ups and downs of following the Albion for the last 30 years for anything.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I was at both games (and in fact the original night for the former, when it was called off 20 minutes before kick off). The 4-2 win was fun, but the 2-1 was an amazing night - one of the best I've ever experienced in my 30+ years of watching the Albion. Owusu, Hart playing some great stuff. Virgo and co at the back working their collective tits off. Fabulous performance from Adam Hinshelwood. Tremenduous winning goal from Calvin Andrew. Brilliant scenes of mentalism on the little terrace. Drinks were spilled. Someone's spectacles got smashed. Marvellous.

I was behind the goal that night, but the way the team came over to celebrate with us, we felt we were part of it, rather than just fans. The hope started at Hereford where we won 2-1 with a Fraser bicycle kick, and the momentum took us through from Bristol Rovers, onwards.

We could have been safe if we'd won away at Huddersfield but that was a draw due to a dubious goal from Andy Booth in his final game for them.
We had to beat Stockport on the final day, which we did and invaded the pitch carrying Russell Slade shoulder high.
Lloyd Owusu celebrated goals with his 'raise the roof' arms high.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Who was he on loan from again? Anyway massive thanks to his parent club. Very important result.

Ssssshh we don't talk about them.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Given how crucial tha win was, its just as well the ref on the original date, called the pitch unfit. We were playing desperately badly at the time, and had a threadbare squad, due to injuries. The important loanees Dicker, Andrew (and possibly Owusu) hadn't arrived at that point, and had the game gone ahead we almost certainly would have got dicked.

 

[Mackenzie]

That was the same night as Arsenal 4-4 Liverpool.......I was sat in a bar in Puerto Pollensa with our Liverpool supporting trainer, he was obviously going mental watching his game whilst I was getting updates on our game at Rovers from Captain Haddock. It was such an important result for us......I was gutted to have missed such a great match.

Edit: I was actually in the ground when they called off the original game.....at least I'd only traveled from South Wales.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I preferred the more recent trip when we won promotion. Bennett had a blinder, and Hoskins ran the show for them.

Another good day out watching the Albion vs the Gas; sort of makes up, a bit, for the 2-8 shambles when Clough was manager. The game at Eastville in 1970 wasn't bad either; 2-0 to us with a brace from Dawson, one a characteristic diving header from way, way, way out.

 

[rdigs24]

Ssssshh we don't talk about them.

Who Don't talk about who??