UNITED BEATEN AT THE AMEX

UNITED BEATEN AT THE AMEX

One goal enough for the Seagulls...

BRIGHTON 1 (Ulloa 64), UNITED 0.

Brighton: Kuszczak, Calderon, Upson, Greer, Ward, Ince, Stephens, Orlandi, March (Buckley 73), Rodriguez (LuaLua 57), Ulloa (Obika 81). Subs. Brezovan, Dunk, Forster-Caskey, Lopez.

United: Kenny, Byram, Pearce, Lees, Warnock, Murphy, Mowatt (Hunt 77), Austin, Pugh (Smith 68), Kebe, McCormack. Subs. Cairns, Peltier, Wootton, Brown, Tonge.

Referee: D Deadman

Booked: Calderon (Brighton), Murphy, Warnock, Hunt (Leeds).

Att: 27,700 (1,960 Leeds)

United boss Brian McDermott made one change to the side that won away at Yeovil Town four days earlier, by bringing Danny Pugh into the starting line-up for Cameron Stewart. The United winger missed the trip to Brighton due to a break in his loan spell at the club.

Just one point separated the two teams at kick off but it was the home side who started the game the brighter. Brighton pressured the United defence and saw three shots blocked in the opening minutes.

The home side had a good opportunity on the 10-minute mark when Andrea Orlandi stood over a free-kick just outside the United penalty area. The midfielder didn't trouble Paddy Kenny with his effort as he blasted the ball into the crowd behind the goal.

The tie evened up as a contest in the following minutes as United came into the game and enjoying a good spell of possession without really creating any goalscoring chances. The opening 20 minutes saw United look to hit the home side on break, and the best chance came when Ross McCormack was released by Luke Murphy. The United striker was held up well and with no further options arriving McCormack struck for goal, but his effort was saved.

Both sides were guilty of losing possession as the game progressed and following a good move by the home side Leonardo Ulloa struck for goal. The home crowd rose like it had hit the back of the net but it was the side netting that rippled as the half-hour mark passed.

Orlandi had one further chance before the interval, but his shot at goal missed the target. With the half running into added time it was United that looked the stronger but the game remained goalless at the break.

United started the second half on the front foot and applied some early pressure. Alex Mowatt tried his luck with a shot which was saved by Kuszczak and McCormack whipped in a free-kick which the Brighton goalkeeper had to punch clear.

The hosts wasted little time in signalling their intentions, though, and they took the lead on 64 minutes when Ulloa stabbed the ball home after a Kazenga LuaLua cross was deflected into his path.

Moments later, Kenny was called upon to save well when a Solly March shot took a deflection. March also fired into the side-netting, but United responded with a Mowatt effort which Kuszczak had to get down well to smother.

United were struggling to retain possession, though, as the game headed towards its conclusion, and it was the home side who were untroubled as they collected the victory.

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