WANDERERS: 4-3-1-2

BEN AMOS...7

Made some important saves – including one blinder at close range from Sam Baldock. Been a very calming influence in a rocky patch for Wanderers.

JOSH VELA...7

Looked shaky early on at full-back and wasted a lot of possession. But when he was freed into midfield Vela looked on top form again. Classy pass for the goal.

MATT MILLS...8

Back in the side with a point to prove after his aberration at Forest and bang on form. Played a captain’s role in maintaining a first league clean sheet since December.

DAVID WHEATER...8

Two big performances back to back, this one even more composed than Tuesday’s at Boro. Finding his form at just the right time for Wanderers.

TIM REAM...7

Doesn’t appear to have missed a beat after a short lay-off and this was him at something like his unflappable best. Provided an attacking threat in the first half too.

LIAM FEENEY...6

His delivery had been rather inconsistent before going off through injury – but hopefully his lay-off will be a short one. He has been outstanding in recent weeks.

NEIL DANNS...6

Still a way off his best but Danns’ performance was neater and tidier than it had been at Forest or Boro. Needs to find a second wind after a long time in the side.

BARRY BANNAN...7

Much more economical on the ball and his delivery from free-kicks was better too. Bannan is starting to find his range in the Wanderers midfield, and looking the part.

ZACH CLOUGH...7

Forced to the periphery for 60 minutes and then BANG! Wanderers’ game-plan didn’t suit the youngster early on but his quality finish told its own story.

EMILE HESKEY...6

Heskey has had 101 afternoons just like this – battered from pillar to post before being brought off as a precaution towards the end. Quiet but effective.

ADAM LE FONDRE...6

Didn’t get enough glimpses of goal for his liking but kept badgering away and hassling the Brighton back four for mistakes. Never stopped running.

Subs: McNaughton 65 (for Feeney) – Looked like a man possessed 7

Gudjohnsen 78 (for Heskey) – Didn’t really get a sniff 6

Moxey 88 (for Danns) – Made some important interventions 6

Not used: Fitzsimons, Dervite, Janko, Walker.

STAR MAN – David Wheater Very close call between Wheater and his defensive partner Mills – but the Redcar Rock inched it with another commanding performance at the back.

Read the game well, defended everything thrown into the box, and used the ball well from the back to. Good to see him back firing on all cylinders.

BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1)

DAVID STOCKDALE...6

BRUNO SALTOR...7

GORDON GREER...7

LEWIS DUNK...6

JOE BENNETT...7

ROHAN INCE...7

BERAM KAYAL...6

INIGO CALDERON...6

JOAO TEIXEIRA...6

SAM BALDOCK...6

CRAIG MACKAIL-SMITH...5

Subs: Stephens 6, 60 (for Bruno), LuaLua 74 (for Mackail-Smith), O’Grady 82 (for Kayal).

Not used: Walton, Hughes, Best, Ledesma.

THEIR STAR MAN – Rohan Ince The big midfielder used the ball well and acted as an effective defensive shield for Albion for all but five minutes of the game. It was a day for the defensive types and with his team-mates struggling to break Wanderers down, he played as well as anyone.

 

MATCH STATS

POSSESSION

Wanderers – 45 Brighton - 55

SHOTS ON TARGET

Wanderers – 4 Brighton - 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET

Wanderers – 9 Brighton - 9

CORNERS

Wanderers – 5 Brighton - 10

FOULS AGAINST

Wanderers – 6 Brighton - 11

OFFSIDES

Wanderers – 2 Brighton - 2

Booked: Wanderers – Heskey 42 (foul on Dunk) Brighton – Teixeira 45 (dissent), Greer 74 (foul on Le Fondre)

Sent off: None

Attendance: 14,115

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northants) 7/10

Hardly noticed the ref but for a strange decision to book Emile Heskey in the first half. No big decisions for him to make – but a good game nonetheless.

Goals: Wanderers – Clough 64

Entertainment – 5/10

But for Clough’s moment of magic we might have been talking minus numbers here but once he’d lit the touch-paper, the last 25 minutes were eminently watchable. It was slow going for a long time, however, with neither side able to get their passing game going.

Atmosphere – 6/10

Patience was the watch word for Wanderers fans as their side toiled on the pitch. Lennon paid tribute to their endurance in the face of some dire football – and they got their reward with Clough’s moment of magic. There were times when it would have gone the other way.

Match point

Brighton had a productive five-minute spell before the goal when Ben Amos, Matt Mills and David Wheater stood tall and dug in. Had Wanderers caved at that point, we would have been looking at another defeat. Hopefully a corner has been turned defensively.

Magic moment

There was only one. Josh Vela’s perfect pass allowed Zach Clough to turn his marker and produce a delicate finish inside the far post. I can pay him no greater compliment than saying it was Bergkamp-esque. The Dutch great had exactly that kind of balance under close quarters.