Match Reports

Report: Albion 2 Fulham 2

By James Hilsum • 01 September 2018

  • Albion come back from two goals down
  • Pascal Gross misses a first-half penalty
  • Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic on target for Fulham
  • Glenn Murray scores twice for Albion to draw level

Brighton & Hove Albion recovered from two goals down to claim a hard-earned 2-2 draw against Fulham at the Amex Stadium.

After a saved penalty from Pascal Gross, strikes from Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic put the Cottagers 2-0 ahead, but Glenn Murray's brace, including a goal from the penalty spot, gave the Seagulls a share of the spoils.
 
Chris Hughton made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 away at Liverpool last Saturday, as Lewis Dunk and Gross returned to the starting line-up.
 
Albion began brightly, as Solly March weaved his way through the Fulham defence only to see his subsequent effort blocked, as Hughton’s men continued their fast start to the game.
 
But Fulham had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock when Luciano Vietto and Schurrle linked up well to set up a chance for Mitrovic, but the Serbian headed over from close range.
 
Albion missed their chance to break the deadlock with 24 minutes played, when Murray was brought down by Vietto and Gross saw his resulting penalty pushed around the post by Marcus Bettinelli.
 
The Gross-Murray combination was back in action again from the subsequent corner, as Murray’s glancing header from the German’s set-piece drifted just past the far post.
 
Despite all of Albion’s positive play, Fulham took the lead courtesy of Schurrle, as the winger latched onto Jean Michael-Seri’s through-ball and rifled a finish past Mathew Ryan just one minute shy of the interval.
 
Dennis Odoi made a surging run from defence at the start of the second half and won a free-kick in a promising position for the Cottagers, but Schurrle didn’t add to his tally with a free-kick that drifted harmlessly over the bar.
 
Propper created a brilliant chance to Albion moments later when he played March through on goal, but the winger saw his right-footed effort go agonisingly over the bar.
 
The Seagulls were dealt a sucker punch just past the hour mark - Mitrovic got the better of Dunk and saw his first shot saved by Ryan, before he fired home on the rebound to double Fulham’s advantage.
 
Albion had a chance to halve the deficit barely a minute later after Shane Duffy met Anthony Knockaert’s in-swinging set-piece, but the Irishman headed wide.
 
Hughton’s men got a foothold in the game with 67 minutes played when Knockaert drove forward to pick out Murray, who coolly slotted the ball under Bettinelli to make it 2-1.
 
Buoyed by the goal, Albion drove forward once again through March, and the winger picked out substitute Yves Bissouma, but the Malian’s effort from distance went over the target.
 
Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Jurgen Locadia were introduced for the final 15 minutes, and the pair combined well, as the Dutchman’s header from Jahanbakhsh’s cross was saved by Bettinelli.
 
But with time running out, the Seagulls had a chance to restore parity to the scoreline when Mitrovic was penalised for a handball inside the box and Murray successfully converted the penalty with 84 minutes played to avoid a potentially harsh defeat.
 
ALBION: Ryan; Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bong; Knockaert (Jahanbakhsh 74), Stephens, Propper (Locadia 74), March; Gross (Bissouma 60); Murray.
 
SUBS NOT USED: Button (GK), Balogun, Bernardo, Kayal.
 
1901 CLUB LOTTERY
 
1ST PRIZE £1000 167518
2ND PRIZE       168311
3RD PRIZE       165580
4TH PRIZE       166328
5TH PRIZE       166683
 
ALBION HAT TRICK
 
1ST £550 3936
2ND £50 2841
3RD £25 1174
 
1ST GOAL TIME 43 MINS