Wolves 0 Brighton & Hove Albion 0: Fine rearguard action sees Seagulls claim valuable point

Brighton & Hove Albion produced a backs-against-the-wall performance at Wolves in the Premier League this afternoon to pick up a precious point in their battle against relegation.
Diogo Jota sends a shot just wide. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyDiogo Jota sends a shot just wide. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Diogo Jota sends a shot just wide. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

The hosts dominated from the off but a mixture of stout Albion defending and Wanderers' profligacy in front of goal saw the points shared.

This result halted Brighton's five-game losing streak and, more importantly, saw the gap between them and 18th-place Cardiff City increase to three points.

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Chris Hughton made two changes to the Albion team that slipped to a 2-0 home defeat against Cardiff City on Tuesday.

Gaetan Bong and Jose Izquierdo returned to the side as Bernardo and Alireza Jahanbakhsh dropped out.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo also made two changes, following their 3-1 loss against Southampton last Saturday.

Ryan Bennett and Morgan Gibbs-White came in for Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker respectively.

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The hosts had the game's first sight of goal on four minutes. A Joao Moutinho cross from the left-flank found Raul Jimenez at the back stick, but his headed effort went wide.

Brighton were forced to make a substitute after just ten minutes. Davy Propper had to be withdrawn due to injury, so Beram Kayal came on in the Dutchman's stead.

A poor pass from Lewis Dunk almost proved to be the Seagulls' undoing on 18 minutes.

Kayal, snuffing out a Wolves cross from the right, cooly played the ball back to the defender in Albion's penalty area.

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But Dunk's attempted pass out of the box to Izquierdo instead found Republic of Ireland defender Matt Doherty.

The Wolves right-back drove at the Brighton back-line before firing just over the bar form outside the area.

Wolves were seeing a lot of the ball but hadn't really created any clear cut opportunities.

The host's had won five corners in the opening half-hour but were yet to have a shot on target.

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Diogo Jota cut in from the right on 33 minutes but his strike from outside the area went wide of Mathew Ryan's left-hand post.

Ruben Neves struck from 25-yards out in first-half stoppage time, but his long-range effort struck an Albion player.

The ball looped up into the air and landed at the feet of Jota in the box, who managed to fire off a half-volley that went over the bar.

Wanderers had pressed and probed without creating anything concrete and as referee Craig Pawson blew for half-time the game remained goalless.

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Brighton had their first shot of the game eight minutes into the second period.

Kayal drove from the heart of midfield and let fly with a dipping effort from 25-yards that went mere inches over the crossbar.

The next attempt on goal didn't come until 68 minutes as Jimenez fired over after Albion had cleared their lines from a corner.

Wolves were dominant in possession but were so far unable to force a save out of Ryan in the Seagulls' goal.

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But five minutes katwr and the Australian produced a fine sprawling stop to keep Brighton level.

A cross from Jimenez from the left saw Jota head against the right-hand post. The ball came back out into the box to the onrushing Leander Dendoncker.

The Belgian found himself one-one with Ryan at close-range, but Brighton's number one was quick off his line and made himself large to turn Dendoncker's shot over.

Neves then tried his luck from long-range on 85 minutes but it was straight down the the throat of Ryan.

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Wolves pushed for a winner but, for all their possession on the ball, could not find a winner as referee Pawson blew for full-time.

Wolves: Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Gibbs-White (Dendoncker 72), Doherty (Traore 84), Neves, Moutinho, Jonny (Vinagre 66), Jota, Jimenez. Unused: Ruddy, Cavaleiro, Costa, Saiss.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Bruno (Bernardo 70), Duffy, Dunk, Bong, Gross, Stephens, Propper (Kayal 10), Izquierdo, Murray, March. Unused: Button, Locadia, Andone, Jahanbakhsh, Burn.

Referee: Craig Pawson

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