Brighton frustrated in goalless draw with Brentford
Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford.
Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso.
Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut.
Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing.
The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal.
Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler.
Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace.
Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start.
A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post.
Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term.
Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead.
After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside.
Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson.
Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level.
Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans.
Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma.
Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured.
The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces.
But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie