- Albion are beaten 2-1 by Derby County
- Jason Knight scores twice for the Rams
- Warren O’Hora’s goal had levelled the scores
- The result leaves Albion sixth in Premier League 2 Division 1
Jason Knight’s brace was enough for the Rams to leave Lancing with all three points, despite Warren O’Hora having levelled the scores for Rusk’s side.
The under-23 coach made four changes from last week’s victory, and the game started evenly with both sides trading attacks during the opening half an hour.
Despite this, however, neither side could evade the opposition’s sturdy defence to create a clear-cut opening during the first third of the game.
Unlike the trip to Manchester City last weekend, the young Seagulls were exposed to considerably less pressure from the outset as they enjoyed a decent share of the ball in Lancing, confidently knocking the ball about in defence and attack.
The Rams came the closest to breaking the deadlock before the interval, as George Evans’s deflected free-kick hit Hugo Keto’s side-netting during first-half stoppage time.
The visitors started the second half positively, with Jahmal Hector-Ingram going close twice in the opening five minutes. Firstly, the forward whistled a shot narrowly over Keto’s crossbar, before he smashed a half-volley into the side netting from inside the penalty area.
Albion were quick to then fashion their first opening of the game, as some tricky footwork from Taylor Richards created space for Danny Cashman, whose side-footed strike cleared the crossbar.
But the second-placed Rams took the lead in the 59th minute, after Knight headed beyond the reach of Keto. The Irish midfielder was picked out by Mason Bennett’s pinpoint cross.
Rusk will have been delighted with his side’s instant response to falling behind, as O’Hora levelled the scores just three minutes later. The Irish centre-half volleyed home from the edge of the six-yard box after the visitors failed to clear a Seagulls corner.
With both sides now pushing for a second goal, Evans saw a low effort from 20 yards out parried wide by Keto with 20 minutes remaining.
Darren Wassall’s visitors retook the lead in the 74th minute after Knight drilled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area for his second of the game to end a spell of telling pressure from the young Rams.
A strong block from Keto was required moments later to keep the Seagulls in the contest and prevent Hector-Ingram from adding a third.
Despite a late period of pressure on the Rams’ goal, Albion were unable to find a second equaliser and fell to their first defeat since 20th September.
ALBION: Keto; Yapi (Davies 65), O’Hora, Roberts, Cochrane; Baluta, Jenks; Cashman (Spong 84’), Gwargis; Radulovic (Leahy 62), Richards.
SUBS NOT USED: McGill (GK), Tsoungui.