Bristol Rovers vs. Brighton, Saturday 5th February, Kick-Off: 3pm

 Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com
 
Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with assistant manager Mauricio Taricco, and defender Marcos Painter, and from 3pm we'll have regular updates from the Memorial Stadium and around the country. Plus, the chance to win a football signed by the Albion team.


In my last blog, I suggested that February is possibly more important to the chasing pack than it is to Brighton. That’s not to say that having a good month isn’t thoroughly important to Gus Poyet’s team, but Bournemouth, currently in second place, have seven matches in February compared to Brighton’s five. Therefore, Lee Bradbury’s side will finish the month having played four more than the current league leaders. The fixture list has taken control, and Brighton’s league position come March is somewhat out of their hands; if the Cherries have a perfect month, they will be top of the table at the end of it. The question is, can Bournemouth, and the other chasers, take advantage of the extra games and put Albion under serious pressure?

Midweek results suggest they can indeed. A rather flat performance against Leyton Orient which Gus Poyet labelled as “the worst game we have been involved with this season” was disappointing enough. But to see Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Southampton, Oldham, MK Dons, Peterborough and Charlton all winning, would have added insult to injury. In fairness, a point at Leyton Orient (unbeaten at Brisbane Road in the league since September) isn’t a bad point. And it’s very rare to see a fixture list where none of the top 8 are facing each other. But those results mean that Albion have a lead of just a point at the top of the table.

Saturday brings Brighton another opportunity to show why they deserve to be top, as they travel to the Memorial Stadium to face Dave Penney’s struggling Bristol Rovers. The Pirates have had a torrid week, suffering a 6-1 mauling at bottom side Walsall last weekend, and then a 2-1 defeat at home to MK Dons on Wednesday. On paper, this is a hugely winnable game for Albion, but playing the league leaders could encourage the Rovers players to raise their game. In their defeat midweek, they conceded a goal after just 45 seconds; I’m sure Gus Poyet would love an early goal on Saturday to settle any nerves.

Failure to beat the Bristol side could see Albion losing top-spot for the first time in over four months. Bournemouth host Leyton Orient, who are unbeaten since their 5-0 defeat at the Withdean on New Years Day, and can boast some impressive wins against Norwich and Swansea in the FA Cup. So it’s by no means a foregone conclusion that the Cherries win earn a home win, but Gus will be looking to avoid any possibility of going second, by getting all three points.

Last 5 matches:
Brighton:
D (0-0 Leyton Orient away)
W (0-1 Watford away)
W (2-0 Colchester home)
L (1-0 Bournemouth away)
W (3-1 Peterborough home)


Bristol Rovers:
L (1-2 MK Dons home)
L (6-1 Walsall away)
W (3-1 Swindon home)
D (0-0 Hartlepool home)
L (4-0 Carlisle away)


Albion's starting line-up vs. Leyton Orient (last game):
Ankergren, Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter, Bennett, Sparrow (Noone 57), Dicker, Bridcutt, Barnes, Murray (Wood 58); Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Battipiedi, Holroyd, Sandaza