![]()
August Results 2013
![]()
The Seagulls kicked off their Sky Bet Championship with a clash away to Leeds United at Elland Road. Early signs shown from this game were that Vaughan was looking to play possession football here, and it worked. However, Noel Hunt gave the boys a scare early on as he tapped Ross McCormack's low cross past Tomasz Kuszczak to give Leeds the advantage. We couldn't find an equalizer, and the match went to half time.
Vaughan made one substitution at the break, bringing new signing Tom Pope on for David Rodríguez. When fullback Bruno swung a hopeful looking cross towards Stephen Ward, the Irishman headed it on to winger Will Buckley, who managed to find the equalizer. And minutes later, Vaughan's faith in Pope paid off. Dale Stephens played a ball to David López on the edge of the area. The Spaniard threaded a first time through ball into Pope's path, and the £300,000 man won the game for The Gulls. Ward won the Man of the Match award for his assist and fantastic defensive display.
![]()
Having been drawn at home to Coventry City in the opening round of the Capital One Cup, our boys looked to carry on from their impressive win over Leeds United in manager Donald Vaughan's first game as a professional manager. Pope was the hero once again, coming off of the bench at half time to net the winner. Ward turned in another Man of the Match performance. An away tie against Doncaster Rovers was set up in the next round.
![]()
Our toughest challenge so far came in the shape of Derby County, as we looked to get our first league win at The Amex. Jeff Hendrick scored first to put the pressure on, but moments later, Argentinian striker Leonardo Ulloa drew us level, finishing coolly from Bruno's cross. It went to half time all square.
Once again, Pope was brought on at half time... and made an impact, putting us into the lead. Richard Keogh blasted the ball against the 27-year-old's body on the edge of the Derby County penalty area. Pope instantly reacted, taking the ball into the area. Initially, he hit the post, but followed in on the rebound to put us into the lead for the first time. However, minutes from the full time whistle, Derby leveled, Craig Bryson nodding Jobi McAnuff's cross into the net. It looked like it was heading for a draw.
That was until Kuszczak's long kick up the field found Ulloa, he took the ball down, and smashed into the net, with just ten seconds of play to go. Leonardo won the Man of the Match award, and without his goalscoring efforts in this game, we would have lost.
![]()
Our second away trip in the league this month, this time we faced Birmingham City. But we instantly let them know that the home advantage meant nothing, when Ulloa fired home his third goal in two games, heading in Buckley's cross with ease. However, Andrew Shinnie had the Midlands club level soon after with a superb 25 yard free-kick, which Kuszczak had no chance of saving. David López put us back into the lead before half time when his shot from the edge of the area was only parried into the net by the Birmingham goalkeeper Randolph.
Tom Pope was once again brought on at half time, but made less of an impact than he did in previous games. There were no chances in the second half until Ulloa was pulled down by Paul Caddis inside the penalty area in the third minute of stoppage time. David López stepped up to take the penalty, and bagged his second goal of the game. No prizes for guessing the Man of the Match, and the Spaniard helped us to our third successive league win.
![]()
Another tough test at home here, this time up against the boys from Burnley. The promotion favourites were two down at half time, however, and never recovered. Our first goal came from Ulloa, as the in-form striker bagged another goal, heading in Bruno's cross. Stephen Ward sealed the game off a minute before the interval, as Tom Pope, starting for the first time in a Brighton shirt, swung a cross in. It was a tame cross, but the Burnley defender panicked, and Ward reacted first to make it 2-0. The Irishman won his third Man of the Match award of the month.
![]()
Following our win at home to Coventry to reach this stage, we headed into the Capital One Cup second round unbeaten under Vaughan's management. David López gave us the lead away to Doncaster very early on. Mesca gave the ball away to David Rodríguez on the edge of the area. The Spaniard found his fellow countryman, and López finished the move off.
The second half was trickier than the first, however, and as Billy Sharp bagged a brace to give his side the lead, things looked bleak for The Gulls. That was until the 89th minute, when substitute Kazenga LuaLua headed home at the far post from Rodríguez's cross to level the tie. There was no score in Extra Time, and so on to penalties we went.
The boys scored all five of their penalties, and then it was down to Tomasz Kuszczak to be the hero. And so he was, saving Gabriel Tamaș' penalty to win us the tie. We have been awarded a home tie against West Bromwich Albion for our efforts. Sharp won the Man of the Match award for his second half brace.
![]()
We were expecting another win here, but it wasn't to be, and we came crashing down to our first defeat under Vaughan. At home to Millwall, we were brought back down to earth following our fantastic start. We were on the back foot from the very beginning of the game, and we could have lost by a larger deficit had Millwall's Canadian striker Simeon Jackson taken his chances. In the end, we were defeated by a late goal from Man of the Match, Lee Martin. Paul McGowan played a fantastic first time ball over the heads of our defence, and Martin finished low past Kuszczak. It was our first loss, but a great start to the season nonetheless.
Top 12 as of 1/9/13
![]()
So after one month of football, we are top, clear by two points. We are delighted to announce that Donald Vaughan has been named as the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for leading the team to four wins out of five in the league. We look forward to what the future holds.
