Oct 9 Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 AFC Bournemouth Att: 7348

Last updated : 09 October 2010 By Andy Burton

Seven days ago, the Cherries felt had done by where two dodgy penalties went against them. Funny how things can change, even within a short space of time.

Haveing said that, the less said about the first half the better - which was basically rubbish given that both sides started the day in the top-3. The only incident of any note came when Shwan Jalal got down low to push the ball past his left hand upright in the 32nd minute. What the TV audience at home must have thought ...... goodness only knows!

HT: 0-0

The second period started in much the same vein as the entire first half - largely lacklustre and forgetable. The game sprang to life when LuaLua fired home a rasping shot from distance, giving Jalal no chance to fire the Seagulls in to the lead on the hour mark.

Our hosts tried to push for a second to put the game beyond the Cherries, but missed a host of half chances.

With the game heading for a home win, the game was turned on its' head when Elphick handled the ball, with the ref indicating a free-kick just outside the penalty area. However, his lineman had placed his flag over his chest suggesting a penalty. A brief consultation resulted in the ref changing his mind and gave the Cherries a penalty, even though we could see from behind the goal that the offence was outside the area. Up stepped Marc Pugh to equalise in the 92nd minute to give the Cherries a most unlikely point. In the remaining period of time added, the Cherries did the pressing to find an even more unlikely winner, but it was not to be as the game fizzled out in a 1-1 draw.

Overall, if this was the top of League One, then the game on TV was hardly a great advert for the third tier of English Football.

Man Of The MatchNo outfield player shone for me today, so my Man Of The Match award goes to Shwan Jalal.

AFCB: Jalal, Wiggins, Garry, Pearce, Bradbury, Pugh, Bartley, Robinson, Hollands, Feeney, Symes
Subs: Stewart, Cummings, Cooper, Partington, McQuoid (for Symes, 55 mins), Fletcher (for Bartley, 62 mins), Taylor (for Feeney, 89 mins)
Andy Burton, Portsmouth