Brighton Defeat QPR 1-0

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Brighton 1 QPR 0
QPR OFFICIAL SITE

Brighton ran out 1-0 winners at the Withdean after a disappointing game from Rangers' point of view.
On a day that should have seen a game full of Christmas cheer, the match culminated in one big festive hangover.
Brighton took a 1-0 lead into the break with Rangers having failed to find their feet.
Albion had gone in front after Guy Butters headed home Richard Carpenter's free kick after just six minutes.
The Seagulls had already lost Charlie Oatway after a sloppy tackle from Marcus Bean and from thereonin the game faded into obscurity.
The second half started promisingly, but one again it was soon a case of little action, little end product and little to talk about.
There were two changes to the Rangers' starting line up.
The obvious one being the full debut of Jake Cole after Simon Royce's dismissal against Coventry last week.
Georges Santos also missed out through suspension and made way for Paul Furlong to come back into the starting eleven.
With two minutes gone, Marcus Bean's tackle on Charlie Oatway ended the captain's game. Oatway was stretchered off with his leg strapped up and not looking in the best of shape.
A Richard Langley foul gave Richard Carpenter a free kick 20 yards out from goal on the wing.
The newly arrived substitute whipped the ball in and Guy Butters rose highest in the box to head home.
Throughout the first ten minutes, Brighton were camped in the Rangers half, with the visitors conceeding free kick after free kick.
In fact, the game had started with a niggly feeling with the referee's whistle ging into overdrive.
For the next 15 minutes, the game scrapped about in midfield without much action.
Gary Hart was the next to force Jake Cole into action, driving the ball low along the ground for Cole to gather.
Rangers just seemed unable to piece together a string of passes or threaten the Seagulls' goal.
With four minutes remaining in the first half, Cole was forced to save with his feet after Alexandre Frustos drove goalwards.
With the second half kicking off, there was hope that the game would spark into life.
Martin Rowlands won Rangers a free kick 25 yards from goal and smack in the middle of goal. With Langley and Furlong standing over the free kick, the former stepped up to take.
The hit was as sweet as they come, but Michel Kuipers was equal to it and punched clear.
Ian Holloway decided to mix things up with a double substitution, bringing on Marc Nygaard and Lee Cook for Stefan Moore and Marcus Bean.
Cook tried his best to make an impact, shooting from distance, but again Kuipers denied Rangers an equaliser.
Ainsworth then tried without success to shoot, but he failed to get enough on the ball to send it goalwards.
That was his last touch of the game before Marc Bircham replaced him.
Cole had his moment of the game when he pulled off an excellent save to deny Kazim-Richards from outside the area.
The Brighton man's shot was strcuk with venom, but Cole went full stretch to punch to safety.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, Rangers began to push foward. Now it was Brighton's turn to defend.
Langley's corner connected with Nygaards head, but his bullet header flew wide of the post.
Paul Furlong then missed a golden opportunity to give Rangers a share of the points when Bignot sen the ball across the face of goal, but Furlong failed to connect sweetly and the ball cannoned over the bar.
Up the other end, Cole was once again called into action when McCammon was clean through.
The young stopper again punched clear to ensure Rangers still had a chance in the game.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough action up front to warrant a share of the points and this was not going to be Rangers' day.

Brighton: Kuipers, Reid, Knight (McCammon 60), Turienzo, Hart, Oatway (Carpenter 5), Hammond, Butters, Frutos (Mayo 60), El-Abd, Kazim-Richards, McShane
Subs: Robinson, Sullivan
Scorers: Butters 6,
Bookings: Hammond 15, Kazim-Richards 33, Reid 45
Rangers: Cole, Bignot, Dyer, Shittu, Evatt, Ainsworth (Bircham 74), Bean (Cook 60), Rowlands, Langley, Moore (Nygaard 60), Furlong
Subs: Milanese, Rose
Scorers:
Bookings: Langley 6, Bean 45
Att: 7,341 Ref: R Styles
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10373~29188,00.html


BRIGHTON OFFICIAL SITE

first-half header from Guy Butters gave the Seagulls a 1-0 win over QPR this afternoon.
The central-defender rose highest to head a Richard Carpenter free-kick past Rangers keeper Jake Cole.
Carpenter was on as a substitute for Charlie Oatway, who had to be taken to hospital with an ankle injury after being stretchered off as early as the third minute.
Mark McCammon had a chance to make the result safe late on but was denied brillintly by Cole, while at the other end, a superb challenge from Paul McShane stopped Paul Furlong from drawing the visitors level.
Report to follow.
Albion: (4-4-2) Kuipers; El-Abd, McShane, Butters, Reid; Hart, Oatway, Hammond, Frutos; Knight, Kazim-Richards. Subs: Sullivan (GK), Carpenter, McCammon, Mayo, Robinson.
QPR: (4-4-2) Cole; Bignot, Shittu, Evatt, Dyer; Ainsworth, Langley, Rowlands, Bean; Moore, Furlong. Subs: Cook, Milanese, Rose, Bircham, Nygaard.
Referee: Rob Styles
http://www.seagulls.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10433~29188,00.html