Dull game won by Brighton

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33918, 11 August 1975, Page 12

Dull game won by Brighton

(By

DERRICK MANSBRIDGE)

New Brighton is creeping out of relegation danger — not gloriously, but at least; steadily.

The club’s 1-0 victory over Eastern Suburbs at Queen Elizabeth II Parkyesterday was Brighton’s third successive league success, and it can now face the final part of the Rothmans National Soccer League programme with growing confidence. This was not a good match. It takes two teams to make an entertainment and Suburbs were not good enough to be in the act. How Suburbs have managed to spend the greater part of the season in the top half of the league is a mystery. MISSED PENALTY

They forced their first and only corner after 70 minutes; Owen Nuttridge was tested only once, saving a miskick from Trevor Blake; and as a final humiliation, Suburbs also failed with a penalty, after 37 minutes, when Jim McGarty missed the target by a soccer mile. In the dying minutes Suburbs had one more chance, again in front of an open goal, but Clive Campbell was as wildly oft' target as McGarty had been. It was Brighton’s misfortune, after producing some bright first-half football, to be dragged down to Suburbs’ level for the last 45 minutes. During this half both sides made so many elementary mistakes that the game threatened to develop into a farce. It did not only because Brighton, to the end, kept in sight its desperate need for points. Ken France set a captain’s and coach’s example throughout the game, and his determination kept his team together. CLASH OF HEADS Brighton was unlucky to lose Frank Madrussan, its scorer in the first half, after he clashed beads with Warren Fleet raidway through the second half. Madrussan, suffering a bad cut over his left eye. was replaced by John Verweij, giving the former United striker his first taste of national league football. And Verweij nearly made it a dream debut He had been on the field for only eight minutes when he laid on a perfect pass for Graham Storer, but Storer’s fierce shot crashed against the bar. There were a bare minimum of goalmouth incidents or creative movements, but one of them produced Brighton’s winning goal. A quick break on the left caught Suburbs napping. Warren Quirke fed Madrussan

I and the wing's accuratelyi placed, low drive was too good 1 for the New Zealand goal- ; keeper, Praven Jeram. I Quirke had his own chance earlier on. but he shot weakly and wide after beating his marker and creating his opening, while Blake and Alex Smith; were foiled by Jeram’s capable I handling.

Brighton has pia\ed much better and lost. But in the present state of affairs at the bottom of the league, the club will not mind too much how the points are gathered in, just as long as they keep coming.