Goals:

0-1: Tomlin (8, guided home a first-time shot from the edge of the area after Reach pulled the ball back from the left-hand side)

0-2: Adomah (53, prodded past Stockdale at the second attempt after Ayala squared the ball to him from the right flank)

1-2: Greer (88, headed home powerfully at the back post after Colunga had flicked on a corner)

Bookings: Friend (16, foul), Fredericks (34, foul), Gardner (44, foul), Adomah (72, foul), Greer (73, foul), Nsue (90, foul)

Referee: Andy D’Urso (Walsall) – Was too quick to reach for his whistle in the first half, but was always in control and was right to wave away Kike’s first-half penalty appeals 6

Attendance: 26,642

Entertainment: ***

 

                          Brighton               Middlesbrough

Shots On             5                              3

Shots Off             8                              4

Corners               5                              2

Fouls                   7                              14

Offsides               1                              0

 

BRIGHTON (4-3-3): Stockdale 6; CALDERON 7, Greer 6, Dunk 5, Bennett 6; Holla 5 (O’Grady 46, 5), Forster-Caskey 5 (Colunga 77), Gardner 5; Teixeira 6 (McCourt 30, 5), Baldock 4, LuaLua 4.

Subs (not used): Walton (gk), Hughes, Chicksen, Ince.

 

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-2-3-1):

6 Konstantopoulos: Didn’t have a chance with Greer’s late header and was barely tested in the remainder of the game

7 Fredericks: Displayed plenty of energy and commitment down the right-hand side and produced a couple of crunching challenges

9 AYALA: Defended superbly throughout, particularly in the air, and produced an excellent break to set up Adomah’s goal

8 Gibson: Capped an excellent week with another polished and composed performance – it is easy to forget that he is still just 21

7 Friend: Set the tone with a ferocious first-minute challenge and was equally committed and influential from that point on

7 Leadbitter: Worked tirelessly to plug the gaps in front of the Boro back four and made a series of important blocks and tackles

8 Clayton: Ran himself into the ground to deny Brighton’s midfielders any space, with his anticipation enabling him to repeatedly steal possession

7 Adomah: Showed another side to his game as he dropped back to support Fredericks, but kept his cool to double Boro’s lead

7 Tomlin: Displayed impressive composure to convert Boro’s opener, but suffered a knock to his leg that forced him off

8 Reach: Surged down the left-hand side to set up Tomlin’s goal and worked diligently to ensure Friend was not left exposed

6 Kike: Was isolated for long spells, but battled away to ensure there was an outlet when Boro were under pressure

Subs:

Vossen (for Tomlin, 46): Linked up with Ayala in the build-up to Adomah’s goal and worked hard to ensure the defending began at the front 6

Whitehead (for Clayton, 60): Ensured that Boro’s midfield energy levels did not drop after he was introduced 6

Nsue (for Adomah, 85)

(not used): Blackman (gk), Veljkovic, Wildschut, Bamford.

 

Man Of The Match: DANIEL AYALA – The Spaniard was a towering presence at the heart of the back four and proved equally as influential at the other end of the field.