Championship
Brighton
Feb 22, 2014 3.00pm
1
2
HT : 0 1
FT
Wigan
  • Leonardo Ulloa 78' goal
  • goal James McArthur 21'
  • goal Chris McCann 50'
  • yellowcard Jean Beausejour 80'

Live Commentary: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Wigan Athletic - as it happened

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Brighton 1-2 Wigan - as it happened
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Playoff-chasing duo Brighton & Hove Albion and Wigan Athletic locked horns at The Amex in the Championship this afternoon.

Both sides knew that a win would boost their chances of a top-six finish hugely, and it was Wigan who stole the points with a fortunate away triumph.

Read how it all unfolded on the South coast with our minute-by-minute updates below.

5.08pmAnyhoo, we're out of time here so it's time for me to say thanks for joining SM. I now recommend that you head this way for Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United in the Premier League. Enjoy!

5.04pmClick here to see how the Championship table looks after a full schedule today. It's now in Wigan's hands to get into the playoffs as they have a game in-hand on Reading above them in sixth, who are just a point ahead. Brighton are one place further back and have also played a game less than Reading.

5pmIt's a first home defeat of 2014 for Brighton as Wigan notch their fourth consecutive win in all competitions. The Latics hardly deserved it but hung on and took their chances much better than the hosts.

90+4 minFULL TIME: BRIGHTON 1-2 WIGAN

90+1 minFOUR minutes of added time have just been signalled by the fourth official. Brighton are laying siege to the Wigan penalty box but just can't grab an equaliser. Ali Al-Habsi has been excellent between the sticks for Wigan.

88 minCLOSE! Brighton must wonder how they're not at least on level terms! First Al-Habsi tips away Stephen's effort before Ince's rocket from distance whistles just past the post.

86 min

85 minBrighton now really piling on the pressure here. Can they find a late equaliser which they probably deserve?

82 minThe Brighton substitutes are looking threatening and next to have a go is Obika, whose acrobatic close-range effort is well over.

80 minThat goal has really sparked the 25,000+ home fans into life and they almost have an equaliser to celebrate as LuaLua fires just wide.

79 minBOOKING! Wigan are now looking to run down the clock and Beausejour is the first to be booked for time-wasting.

78 minIt had to be Ulloa! No other Seagull has scored in the league since January 11! The Argentinian swiped home inside the area after Upson got up well to head Orlandi's corner.

78 minGOAL! BRIGHTON 1-2 WIGAN (ULLOA)

77 minBRIGHTON SUB: And now Garcia makes his last change, sending on Tottenham Hotspur loanee Jonathan Obika for David Lopez.

73 minWIGAN SUB: Third and final sub for Rosler as Roger Espinoza replaces Waghorn.

73 minLuaLua with his first decent input, delivering an inviting cross from the left that somehow goes all the way across goal without getting a touch on it.

72 minThe attendance at the Amex is 27,490, with 676 Wigan fans making the long trip down from the North-West.

70 minBRIGHTON SUB: Garcia makes his second change of the afternoon by sending on Kazenga LuaLua for Ward. He has to go for it now.

66 minBrighton want a penalty as Ramis muscles into Ulloa but referee Davies feels that it was shoulder to shoulder.

64 minBuckley has provided a spark down the right for the home side and it's his cross that is laid off by Ulloa for David, who scuffs his shot nastily.

62 minAl-Habsi is warned by referee Davies for taking his time on goal kicks. Here's the Oman keeper tipping over his own crossbar:

59 minSUBS: Both managers make a change as Jordi Gomez replaces McEachran in the Wigan midfield, while for Brighton Will Buckley is on for Rodriguez.

57 minCHANCE! Here's the Seagulls' chance to half the deficit but Orlandi can only hit a loose ball in the area into the side-netting.

53 minYou feel that Brighton need to find the net soon if they are to get back into this. They put some pressure on Al-Habsi in the Wigan goal and he is a bit flappy, but the visitors survive.

50 minThey probably don't deserve it, but Wigan have doubled their lead as McCann rises highest to bullet a Waghorn corner into the net.

50 minGOAL! BRIGHTON 0-2 WIGAN (MCCANN)

47 minPerch makes an immediate impact down the right, cutting back for Maynard, whose shot is well blocked.

46 minKICKOFF! We're a little delayed but finally back underway at the Amex. Wigan look to be lined up as a 3-5-2 now, with Perch and Beausejour as right wing-backs.

4.05pmUwe Rosler has made a half-time change by bringing on James Perch for James McClean. The former Newcastle man will probably drop back just in front of the defence as Wigan look to consolidate their lead.

4.01pmAs mentioned earlier, things really are going Wigan's way in the table. Forest, Reading and Ipswich are all losing while Wigan beating Brighton means that the Latics are just a point off the top six with a game in-hand on most around them.

3.57pm

3.53pmThe visitors lead then thanks to James McArthur's well-taken goal after he had stolen the ball from Upson. Brighton have had most of the ball but have failed to find the net, coming closest when Dale Stephens smacked a shot against the crossbar.

3.50pmThe Latics can't make anything of the corner and that's half time.

45+2 minHALF TIME: BRIGHTON 0-1 WIGAN

45+1 minJust the one minute of added time is signalled as Wigan win a corner. What a time it would be to snatch a second...

44 minAs things stand, other results in the Championship are going Wigan's way and they're closing in on the playoff places!

41 minMcArthur looks to double the visitors' lead as he is allowed to shoot but can only drag his effort well wide of the post.

38 minLeonardo Ulloa is undoubtedly the hosts' biggest threat but at the moment Ramis and Barnett are dealing with his threat well.

36 minBrighton continue to come forward but they just can't quite carve out a decent opening.

33 minCLOSE! Wigan will look to have chances on the counter-attack and they almost grab a second as Waghorn curls just off target.

31 min

27 minRoute one almost works out for Brighton as Ulloa looks to latch onto a long ball but Boyce comes across to shepherd the ball back to Al-Habsi.

26 minThat goal from McArthur makes it a lovely weekend for the Scot as he also welcomed daughter Ella-Rose to the world recently.

24 minOFF THE BAR! Brighton almost respond straight away as Stephens smacks a shot that crashes off the underside of the bar and away.

24 minNice snap of that early effort from Ulloa that was saved by Al-Habsi:

21 minBrighton were the team on top but they fall behind as McArthur latches onto a loose ball before tucking home past Kuszczak. Against the run of play.

21 minGOAL! BRIGHTON 0-1 WIGAN (MCARTHUR)

16 minChelsea loanee McEachran is down in the middle of the pitch and hobbles off to the sideline but should be OK to continue.

12 minCHANCE! Ward does well to curl over from the left and Stephens rises high but can only head wide.

7 minSAVE! First effort from the hosts as David clips the ball into Ulloa, who takes it down before firing low at goal where Al-Habsi makes a smart stop.

3 minFirst shot of the game comes from James McArthur but he pulls it wide of goal.

1 minKICKOFF! Referee Andrew Davies gets us underway on the South coast.

2.58pmThe two teams are out of the tunnel and we're just about ready to go at the Amex.

2.55pmWhen these two sides last met back on November 23, Brighton won the game thanks to a goal from Andrew Crofts. Here's our match report.

2.50pmPREDICTION TIME! Just 10 minutes until we begin at the Amex. I expect a cautious approach from both managers but do think there will be a result either way. Either 2-1 or 1-2!

2.45pmPerch drops to the bench while Watson is sadly sidelined through injury. Last season's FA Cup hero tragically suffered a double leg fracture against Barnsley last time out and will be on the sidelines for a considerable period.

2.42pmLike Brighton, Wigan also make two changes as Josh McEachran and Ivan Ramis replace James Perch and Ben Watson.

2.40pmOK, let's take a closer look at those teams. Brighton make two changes from their last league game, with Bruno Saltor in for Inigo Calderon at right-back and David Rodriguez replacing Solly March.

2.36pmLovely day down in Brighton:

2.34pmWIGAN SUBS: Nicholls, Crainey, Holgersson, Perch, Espinoza, Gomez, Fortune

2.34pmWIGAN XI: Al Habsi; Boyce, Ramis, Barnett, Beausejour; McEachran, McArthur, McCann; Waghorn, Maynard, McClean

2.33pmBRIGHTON SUBS: Brezovan, Calderon, Dunk, Andrews, Buckley, LuaLua, Obika

2.33pmBRIGHTON XI: Kuszczak; Bruno, Upson, Greer, Ward; Ince, Stephens, Orlandi; David, Rodriguez, Ulloa

2.31pmAfternoon folks! Our feature 3pm kickoff in the Championship this afternoon comes on the South coast as playoff-chasing duo Brighton and Wigan meet at the Amex. Team news coming right up...
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