Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com
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Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with Gus Poyet and midfielder Gary Dicker. From 3pm we'll have regular updates from Fratton Park from our Sports Reporter Loz, as well as all the latest from the Premiership and Championship.
Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with Gus Poyet and midfielder Gary Dicker. From 3pm we'll have regular updates from Fratton Park from our Sports Reporter Loz, as well as all the latest from the Premiership and Championship.
Last Saturday's season opener against Doncaster Rovers was the perfect way to start life at the Amex. Over 20,000 people at Falmer enjoyed a thrilling last gasp win for Albion, as new signing Will Buckley became an instant fans favourite with two late goals to seal their first three points of the season.
Gus Poyet's team showed many qualities which would suggest they are well suited to life in the Championship: strength in depth, fighting spirit, patience; but even the most biased Seagulls supporter would struggle to argue that luck didn't play a huge part in Saturday's win. Rovers bossed the first half, and when Lewis Dunk's untidy challenge ended striker Billy Sharp's afternoon, Sean O'Driscoll's side lost momentum and couldn't find the form which gave them a deserved first half lead.
Things got worse for Donny when then lost another striker to injury, with James Hayter stretchered off after an accidental clash with Inigo Calderon. With all three substitutions made, Rovers went down to ten men, and Albion were able to grab a stoppage time winner.
But credit to Albion for making use of the good fortune that came their way. It might be a sign of things to come for the Seagulls; with the attacking strength on the bench, there are always options for Poyet if a goal is needed. It'll be interesting to see if they turn out to be the Championship's comeback kings this season.
The two players that arguably changed the game on Saturday both started the match on the bench. Whilst Will Buckley grabbed the headlines with his two goals, Craig Noone was equally effective, and provided the perfect through ball for Buckley's winner in the 98th minute. Both men started Tuesday night's Carling Cup win over Gillingham, and with Buckley on the left and Noone on the right, the Gills defence were given a torrid time.
They compliment each other well, with Buckley's pace and strength, and Noone's trickery and vision; similar at times to watching Bale and Lennon at Spurs. With Kazenga Lua Lua a doubt for Saturday's trip to Fratton Park, we might get another opportunity to see what damage they can do, this time to the Pompey defence.
Whilst Albion have enjoyed two wins so far this season, Portsmouth haven't had the best of starts. They salvaged a point at Middlesbrough last weekend thanks to a last gasp Luke Varney equaliser, but then got outplayed by League Two Barnet as they were knocked out of the Carling Cup.
Despite Pompey's poor start, Steve Cotterill has plenty of experience and ability in his depleted squad, and Albion will need to show as much fighting spirit on Saturday afternoon as they did seven days earlier at the Amex.
Brighton & Hove Albion XI vs. Doncaster Rovers (6th August):
Ankergren, Greer (c), Dunk, Painter, Calderon, Bridcutt, Dicker, Sparrow (Buckley 75), Lua Lua (Noone 46), Barnes, Mackail-Smith; SUBS NOT USED: Brezovan, Vincelot, Navarro
Injury doubts:
Lua Lua - Hamstring
Hoskins - Hip
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