Second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter saw Brighton & Hove Albion to a 2-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road. Town had grown into the first half and forced visitors keeper Bart Verbruggen into a number of saves, but in the second period, after Joao Pedro had been very lucky not to see red for charging into Town keeper Christian Walton, Mitoma netted on 59 and Rutter with nine minutes remaining with the Blues never looking like getting back in it once they were behind.

Boss Kieran McKenna made three changes from the team which drew 2-2 at Fulham 11 days ago with Omari Hutchinson a surprise starter and with Kalvin Phillips and Wes Burns also coming into the team, and captain Sam Morsy on the Blues bench for only the second time in a league match, the first at Oxford in March 2022.

Walton continued in goal against his old club with Burns wide on the right and Leif Davis on the left with McKenna sticking with the back three of Dara O’Shea, who skippered, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves, despite the signing of Ben Godfrey, who was among the subs.

Phillips, who is ineligible for Sunday’s game against his parent club Manchester City, partnered Jens Cajuste in the double pivot with Hutchinson, who had been out with a groin problem and was expected to be a sub at best, and Nathan Broadhead behind number nine Liam Delap.

In addition to Morsy and Godfrey, striker George Hirst was back on the bench in the league for the first time since November.

Brighton, who had former Town central defender Adam Webster captaining, made four changes from the team which won 4-0 in the FA Cup at Norwich at the weekend with Joao Pedro OK to start after an ankle injury, replacing Rutter, who was among the subs.

Verbruggen returned in goal for Jason Steele, while Matt O'Riley and Simon Adingra replaced Julio Enciso and Yankubah Minteh, with all three players dropping out on the bench, alongside club captain Lewis Dunk, ex-England international Danny Welbeck and Solly March.

The visitors saw most of the ball in the early stages but without causing any danger until the sixth minute when Joel Veltman looped a deep cross for Mitoma at the back post but O’Shea in front of him flicked a header past the Japanese international.

The game continued to be played uniformly in the Town half until the 12th minute when Phillips and Hutchinson exchanged passes on halfway before the ex-Chelsea man broke into Brighton territory and was dumped on the floor by Webster, who was fortunate not to be booked.

The free-kick came to nothing and moments later a Walton pass out from the back landed at a Brighton player’s feet, but Mitoma’s low shot to his left was easily gathered by the one-time Seagull in the Town goal.

Albion continued to dominate possession but with Hutchinson making another break into their half before being dispossessed by Pervis Estupinan.

On 22, there was a brief moment of panic after Walton’s clearance found Veltman, but Woolfenden headed his ball into the box behind.

Despite their possession, Brighton had failed to threaten and in the 23rd minute it was the Blues who would force the first serious save.

Broadhead brought the ball forward from not far over halfway, cutting his way past defenders before hitting a shot from the edge of the area, which Verbruggen did well to palm wide to his left.

Town made nothing of the corner but they were gaining belief, Hutchinson making another strong run forward from the right two minutes later but the England U21 international held onto it for too long and was tackled.

In the 28th minute, the Blues confidently played their way out from the back, Cajuste passing forward to Broadhead, who moved it on to Delap on the left, the striker cutting in and hitting a shot which Verbruggen again saved down to his left, the Dutch international holding on with Burns ready to pounce.

On 38, with Town now having an equal if not greater share of the ball, Hutchinson played in Burns in space on the right, the Welshman having been free in similar situations earlier but without having been spotted. Burns took the ball on, then cut back to the edge of the area where Hutchinson’s shot was blocked.

Two minutes later, Jan Paul van Hecke looped a cross in from the right and Estupinan looked to have headed wide ahead of O’Shea but referee Tony Harrington gave a corner. From the flag-kick, the ball flew just over Pedro’s head and out of play, a fortunate escape for the Blues.

Moments later, the Brazilian international went to ground and stayed there after minimal contact with Woolfenden, who had beaten him to the ball. Play continued and the Blues kept the ball in the Brighton half as they probed for an opening, before Hutchinson eventually hit a well-struck effort which Verbruggen saved down to his right. Pedro proved to be fine to continue.

After one minute of additional time, the half-time whistle was met by applause from the home fans, pleased with their side’s display, the Blues having grown into the half.

Brighton saw all the ball in the first 20 minutes or so but without ever forcing Walton into a taxing save with the backline maintaining the solidity seen in recent matches.

Broadhead struck the game’s first significant effort and the Blues gained confidence and control the longer the half progressed, Delap and Hutchinson also hitting efforts which required Verbruggen to make saves, albeit not necessarily the toughest stops the Dutchman will make.

Hutchinson, Delap, Broadhead and Burns had all caused the visitors problems, particularly on the counter-attack.

The early period of the second half was surprisingly open with Broadhead having the ball taken off his feet just as he was getting inti a dangerous area on the edge of the box.

Five minutes after the restart, Delap was yellow-carded for an off the ball shove on Van Hecke, the pair, who had also clashed earlier, exchanging views after the card had been shown.

Within a minute, Estupinan got into a decent position on the left and crossed to Adingra, whose shot on the turn was blocked.

Moments later, Pedro went down very easily as he went past O’Shea on the left of the box, referee Harrington waving away the protests.

Pedro already had the Portman Road faithful on his back for the dive and taking to the turf in the first half, but in the 53rd minute they were calling for his dismissal, and with good reason.

Greaves played a back pass to Walton and the Brazilian deliberately jumped into the keeper well after the ball had gone, catching him in the face with his shoulder. The Town players surrounded referee Harrington, who eventually showed only a yellow card, much to the anger of the home support. VAR appeared to uphold the decision and Pedro stayed on, while Walton was deemed OK to continue after treatment.

Four minutes later, the Blues weren’t far away from going in front, Burns hitting a first-time shot across the face and wide after a long throw had fallen to him in the box.

However, it was the visitors who would take the lead in the 59th minute. Greaves was only able to help a ball into the path of Yasin Ayari on the right of the box and the Swedish international cut back to O’Riley, who moved it on to Mitoma, whose low shot beat O’Shea and went under Walton, who may have been unsighted and perhaps still affected by Pedro’s challenge.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had been the better side for the period either side of the break, although with Brighton starting to look more of a threat.

Going in front gave the Seagulls a significant boost of confidence and on 62 Woolfenden was booked for a foul on Pedro as the forward broke midway inside the Town half.

Moments later, Albion made a triple change, Dunk, Rutter and Minteh replacing Webster, O’Riley and Adingra.

In the 67th minute, Pedro was found in the Town area and hit a shot on the turn which Walton brilliantly tipped wide with the ball otherwise destined for the top corner.

The Blues were struggling to get out of their final third for the first time since the early stages and on 69 Rutter hit an effort from a tight angle into the side-netting off a defender.

Town made their first changes a minute later, Burns and Cajuste making way for Jack Taylor and Morsy.

Eight minutes later, with the Blues having made little further headway and Brighton in control, Pedro was booed off by the Town support as he was replaced by Welbeck.

The game was effectively settled in the 81st minute when a free-kick from just outside the area on the left was sent low into the area, Burns appeared to have a chance to clear as it ran loose but Rutter was able to stroke into the corner of the net. VAR took a look as Dunk may have been in front of Walton in an offside position but eventually gave the goal.

Town swapped Phillips and Delap for Jack Clarke and Hirst for the final few minutes but with the match already looking beyond McKenna’s men.

As the game moved into six additional minutes, Veltman was booked for a foul on Clarke, to sarcastic cheers from the Town support, frustrated by the referee’s decision-making and reluctance to show cards to Brighton players throughout.

The Blues were unable to launch a late comeback and referee Harrington’s whistle ended a disappointing night for home supporters.

Town had grown into the second half and may feel they should have made more of their opportunities in the opening period, although none were clear-cut chances.

Pedro’s challenge on Walton will be the game’s main talking point with the ball well gone and it appearing a deliberate jump shoulder first into the keeper’s face.

But once the visitors had gone in front, the Blues never looked like getting back into it with Albion, who previously hadn’t won in eight in the league, regaining their confidence and controlling the game with Town not creating an opportunity.

The Blues drop back into the bottom three, level on goal difference with Wolves but with the Old Gold having scored more goals, with Manchester City at Portman Road on Sunday.

Town: Walton, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips (J Clarke 84), Cajuste (Morsy 70), Burns (Taylor 70), Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap (Hirst 84). Unused: Muric, Johnson, Godfrey, Townsend, Luongo. 

Brighton: Verbruggen, Webster (c) (Dunk 63), Pedro (Welbeck 78), Adingra (Minteh 63), Baleba, Mitoma, Ayari (Moder 94), Van Hecke, Estupinan, O’Riley (Rutter 63), Veltman. Unused: Steele, Lamptey, March, Enciso. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). VAR: Michael Salisbury. Att: 29,403 (Brighton: 2,977).

Photo: Matchday Images

algarvefan added 22:26 - Jan 16 Poor all round performance tonight and beaten by a better side, can't argue with that, move on to the next game.
4

poet added 22:30 - Jan 16 Essex Tractor…. Unlike Walton, I think their keeper did a fair bit of sweating in the first half don’t you. I disagree, for all their possession in the first half, Brighton produced nothing. Sadly, we let ourselves down in the second half. This game lasts for a minimum of 90 minutes, yes we were the better side for 45 of them, and that is when we should have put this game to bed.

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OliveR16 added 22:33 - Jan 16 A devastating evening. McKenna said, before the game, it would show us what progress we've made (since the away fixture). The answer is: we've gone backwards.
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DannyITFC added 22:35 - Jan 16 Beaten by a much better team, they looked like Brighton had 15 players at times! The ball just kept staying with them. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say the better team won. On to the next game, can’t see us getting anything next two games so we might drop further away now if others pick up points.
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Tedray added 22:39 - Jan 16 How do we find a way to have more possession. Do we need another in midfield or our are players just not good enough.It is inevitable that there will be mistakes made when trying to defend for such long periods.Again Mr Morsy did not help the cause re the second goal.Thought we may have moved up another place tonight but sadly not to be.Not long to wait for the next examination.Burgess is very unlucky not to be in the team

5

Cakeman added 22:40 - Jan 16 Very drab game to watch. We got what we deserved. We seemed more concerned about nullifying Brighton than putting our own stamp on the game. I’m not going to criticise individuals as they were no doubt playing as instructed. We need to be more attack minded particularly at home. Also Liam Delap is an excellent player but he is isolated almost all the time. It would be good for him to get more help perhaps give him and George Hirst a go together. Would like to see the experienced Ben Godfrey start against Man City too.

7

rkl added 22:41 - Jan 16 I thought the first half was fine. Letting Brighton have possession and creating the best chances. Then Walton was knocked out by their striker and heads dropped after the goal.
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Leejames99 added 22:46 - Jan 16 I dont know if Mckenna had a bad week and I don't care if marked down for this because in my opinion the players league one aside Davis, Walton (isn't that great), Woolfeden and Burgess can go, they are heroes from an era but if we keep playing them then we are going down it's that simple. Hutchinson getting blamed now but he is not a number 10, he should be on the right wing, Wes Burns is not a prem quality player, he just runs around, passes to thin air, doesn't look to where he passing, bardged off ball etc and Morsy I said it before the start, he has obviously served us well but he has cost us so many points this season with penaltys, fouls and free kicks. Mckenna is being sentimental and I think he knows he can't be. On Sunday Phillips can't play, I hope we get a midfielder in tomorrow, we need them for next season. I hope they play Godfrey in with Cajuste and Johnson at R wing back until Tunazabe fit. That was a mismatch tonight just to accommodate Wes Burns, our substitutions are so weak and shouldn't be we have good players Burgess in for Woolfeden too play a team that looks like a prem team. My team for Sunday Muric - Better shot stopper O Shea (c) Burgess Greaves Davis Godfery Cajuste Broadhead Hutchinson Phillogene Delap That is a good team Play a 3-4-3 Subs Walton or Muric Szmodicks J Clarke Johnson Townsend Hirst Woolfeden J Taylor New player That's my match day team and my opinion. Please no abuse its just how I see it, if you disagree what's your thoughts and who would you play? It's getting nervy now with City and Luverpool next up. 2 or 3 new signings still needed.

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Suffolkboy added 22:46 - Jan 16 It was always to be a hard road , with many bumps and hollows ,and the size of the task is unsurprising ! Clearly together we weren’t up to the very high standards we’ve set ourselves ,but any falling away is bound to be exploited by the more established sides full of experience . Have a look ,tidy up the loose ends and move on positively is bound to be McKenna’s dictum . Let’s get behind them ! COYB

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RobsonWark added 22:51 - Jan 16 Another excellent performance by Walton. Let down by a Leif Davis own goal for the first and Dunk getting n his way for the second. He had the first goal covered and would have made an excellent save but Leif Davis scored an own goal when he flicked the ball, with his right boot, under the diving hands of Walton. The second goal should have been disallowed for interfering with play by Dunk. He was clearly in the line of sight of Walton and then jumped over the ball to give Walton no chance.

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RobsonWark added 22:54 - Jan 16 Chepstowblue what was the Walton howler? I must have missed it. I thought he had an excellent game again.
1

Gforce added 22:57 - Jan 16 The Brighton manager Hurtzeler in his pre match press conference, described our tactics and how we set up to a tee,with that in mind they completely nullified any forward threats we might have had.He basically told us how we were going to play,before a ball was kicked. Hurtzeler certainly did a job on us,as for us we need a change of tactics occasionally.
4

del45 added 23:03 - Jan 16 Very poor with all to play for tonight poor team selection, played 5 4 1, does not work , 2nd half they changed their formation to suit the game and we went back to our old way of side and back playing and no forward movement sorry to say.
4

TheLoveOfWisdom added 23:06 - Jan 16 You can say we were awful in 2nd half. But their high press was just so good, didn't give us any time on the ball and they're to good in the air any time we lumped it forward it was theirs again. Wings were our best shot, and burns got some good crosses n shots in, we might have created more but Omari was a bit off it though. They've been a class team in the prem last few years. Not surprised at this result, they were up for it after their run.

3

RobsonWark added 23:10 - Jan 16 Cadiar Walton would have saved that first goal but it was an own goal from Leif Davis you idiot. Do you actually know anything about football? The only thing you are good at is marking peoples posts down.
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PinstripeBlue added 23:13 - Jan 16 I am not trying to be the next team coach. But these are the games we need to get a result from.
0

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:36 - Jan 16 Strange game. They started well but created nothing and we dealt with then well. We then came into it and forced a couple of decent saves. Started 2nd half well but then a slip from Greaves and an unlucky deflection off Leif and we are behind. Then we were poor. No response and didn't look like creating anything. Some people giving Omari stick ! I thought he had a good first half . Went totally missing in the second but he wasn't alone in that . Pedro was lucky to stay on , he could have pulled out of that challenge. Disappointing ,let's hope we go at City right from the off.

4

Bert added 23:40 - Jan 16 They scored against the run of play and then we looked all over the place. Pedro should have had a red card. Same old Canary poster saying the same old things.
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TimmyH added 23:42 - Jan 16 Agree with Robson - the Davis touch deflected it underneath Walton to his right otherwise he would have saved it so no howler. Have to say I thought Leif had a very average game, very little influence and was dragged out of position for their first though Greaves stretched for a pass he shouldn't of and just handed it on a plate for O'Reilly to cross but hindsight is a fine thing.

5

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:43 - Jan 16 RobsonWark Walton did make a great save and was unlucky with the first goal. It wasn't an own goal though!! Also can you please stop calling people idiots and saying they know nothing about football purely cos they disagree with you .
2

RobsonWark added 23:53 - Jan 16 Dozzells_bobblehat I only do it to Cadiar because he is as he has his favourites that he likes to mark down even if he probably agrees with what they say.
1

RobsonWark added 23:59 - Jan 16 Dozzells_Bobblehat When is an own goal not an own goal? Please enlighten me and any others who do not know how an own goal (scored by one of our own players that Walton was going to save) is not an own goal. This should be good.
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RobsonWark added 00:02 - Jan 17 Dozzells_bobblehat I may be wrong, but wasn't it you that moaned about people using capital letters and exclamation marks (!!) in their posts?
1

Mariner1974 added 00:25 - Jan 17 Good football team Brighton and good possession team. They bossed the first 10 mins, but we came back into it and defended well, and were the bigger threat going forward going into half time. It was as McKenna would say a game of fine margins. The first slip and opening given from us, they scored from. Their first real chance from what I can remember, and for a team happy on the ball and happy to fall over and break up play, a 1-0 lead is great for them and gave the freedom to do as they please. The disappointment was not how we played first 60 mins, but how we couldn't find a way to have more sustained pressure after that point. Brighton should be credited for that, 3 sets of quality fresh legs straight after their first, and they pressed on. The Premiership is brutal if you make a mistake or let a team have a chance. Greaves has made a few of them, Leif has made a few of them, and we know Muric has made plenty... we will be punished for any mistake or slip. If Chelsea had scored first the other week, they'd probably have gone on and score more, but we scored the first and settled to get the second. Brighton did that tonight with us. It wasn't the worst performance by us. Plenty in that first 60 mins to be happy with. We can't just expect to steamroll teams. The new defensive system means teams will have the ball. We just need to hone that tightness, and are reliant on the break like we did against Chelsea with Omari, Delap and another threat having to be on song. Omari gets lots of grief, but was probably best attacking player on the pitch first half, but because he got crowded out by two or three players at key moments, he gets the knockers. He still looked well up for it, and a threat. Adam Webster and rest of defence were canny against Delap. Playing on his physicality and conning the ref left right and centre. It's gonna happen as he has a bit of a rep already for his physicality. Shame we didn't get something from the game tonight, but let's be fair no matter what recent points hauls are, they are one of the better teams in the Prem, and no doubt fired up after us taking a point at their place. Looking forward to Philly Fodes and Haaland coming to town Sunday, and hopefully there will be enough slips from their backline for Delap, Omari, Philogene and co to have some joy. We beat Chelsea. We beat Spurs. We can beat another of the big boys! Let's enjoy it no matter what.

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mehrad added 00:52 - Jan 17 That was an unimaginatively poor display - not a one (other than Broadhead maybe) deserve their paycheck for that game. I hate to single out anyone among an awful gaggle, but for me Kalvin Phillips is an absolute zero - in his position, you need to turn some of those passes from the back into positive turns and runs (maybe 1-2 times per game) instead of pinging them back to where they came from. Hopefully, got all the uglies out of the way in one game and can put a "Chelsea performance" together against City.

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