When the visiting goalkeeper is universally hailed as the man of a match, it is usually a pretty reliable indicator of a dominant performance by the home side.
And the fact that Albion had 11 shots on target in the 1-1 draw against Burnley but only scored once confirms that the Clarets’ James Trafford richly deserved that award.
The report in The Observer by Robert O’Connor said it all, “James Trafford put in a superb display in his team’s 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
“The visitors took the lead against the run of play courtesy of a brilliant strike from Wilson Odobert, unleashing a wicked drive that nicked off James Milner and flew over Bart Verbruggen into the top corner.
“At that stage, Trafford had already saved well from Milner and Pascal Gross and he continued to repel the home side’s attempts to claw the game back, racing from his goal to keep out Simon Adingra with a sprawling block in the second half.
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“Burnley were finally breached when Adingra nodded in a cross from the excellent Gross minutes later, but Trafford would save his best until last, first showing outstanding reflexes to beat away a header from the substitute Jack Hinshelwood in stoppage time before flinging himself towards the top corner to somehow fingertip Karou Mitoma’s volley over the bar.”
Isabelle Barker of The Sun on Sunday agreed, writing that “Adingra saved the Seagulls on 77 minutes with an equaliser and they pecked away at Burnley but just could not break down hero goalkeeper James Trafford.
“The England Under-21 stopper produced a string of heroic saves to deny Brighton a second and he alone deserves to travel back to Lancashire with a point.
“Trafford saved the visitors’ skins as he ran out and produced a jaw-dropping save on an Adingra shot smack bang in front of goal.
“Brighton were building, they just needed another sniff at goal. Of course, Gross was at the beating heart of it with a pukka cross to Adingra who headed home the leveller.
“Trafford leapt like a cat to keep out at a rasping Jack Hinshelwood header before Billy Gilmour came inches away from scoring.”
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Paul Rowan of The Sunday Times wrote that “Brighton started to click and it was one-way traffic. … the away side found their goal under siege. Finally, the equaliser came when Gross twisted one way then another to lose his marker and his inswinging cross to the far post was headed back across the goal and into the net by Adingra.”
Adrian Kajumba of The Mail on Sunday hailed “a result that made it 32 consecutiveT Premier League games that Brighton have scored in, a feat only achieved by three other teams: Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
“The frustration for Roberto De Zerbi was his side were unable to score at last one more given all the chances they created.
“There might have been some regret for Vincent Kompany too even though every point will help.
“His side spent most of the game with their backs to the wall and were indebted to their goalkeeper James Trafford for a string of saves.
“But they led for so long and the finish line was not too far away when they were eventually pegged back.
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“A left-wing Gross cross, another opportunity arrived for Adingra and this time he took it with a downward header.
“There was plenty of time left for a winner. During a goalmouth scramble, following two headed attempts from Jack Hinshelwood, their midweek match-winner against Brentford, a skidding effort from Billy Gilmour and further chances for Ferguson and Mitoma Brighton almost got one.
“But Trafford in particular had other ideas.”
In The Sunday Telegraph, Tom Prentki wrote that “The Seagulls were the better side … for much of the first half as Burnley spent long spells of it with 11 players behind the ball.
“Though Albion had finished the half strongly, Burnley took the lead against the run of play in the 45th minute. Young French winger Wilson Odobert scored his second goal of the season as he cut in from the right and saw his powerful shot nick off James Milner and fly into the top corner. It is now 20 league games without a clean sheet for Brighton.
“Brighton had almost 70% of the possession but Burnley packed everyone behind the ball and remained obdurate. Adingra was presented with a great chance to level when Joao Pedro flicked on Pascal Gross’ cross but James Trafford raced off his line and the ball deflected off his side and behind.
“A minute later, Adingra did score as he rose at the far post to head another Gross cross back across Trafford and leave De Zerbi punching the air. From there on, it was one-way traffic with Burnley indebted to their goalkeeper Trafford for two outstanding saves during the eight minutes of additional time.
“The first to deny 18 year-old full-back Jack Hinshelwood a second goal in a week as he turned his fierce header behind. And then with his fingertips to tip Mitoma’s half-volley over after the Japanese winger connected with Gilmour’s cross.
“’The game demanded it at the end. You don’t come to these places and get a result without moments like this,’ said Kompany of his goalkeeper’s performance.”