London, Sep 22: One player and both managers were sent off as Brighton and Nottingham Forest maintained their unbeaten Premier League records in an entertaining draw.
After four goals at Amex Stadium, the match ended in controversial fashion when Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White was shown a second yellow card for a sliding challenge on Brighton’s Joao Pedro.Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was dismissed by referee Rob Jones, who then also showed a red card to Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo for their reactions to the incident.
The visitors had gone ahead when former Brighton striker Chris Wood scored against his old club with a well-taken spot-kick after Carlos Baleba tripped Callum Hudson-Odoi in the penalty area.But two goals in a three-minute spell just before half-time looked to have transformed the match.Nineteen-year-old midfielder Jack Hinshelwood scored his fourth Brighton goal with an excellent, powerful header from Jan Paul van Hecke’s cross from deep to make it 1-1.
The Seagulls then took the lead in style thanks to Danny Welbeck’s superb 25-yard free-kick that curled around the wall and left away goalkeeper Matz Sels with no chance.
Welbeck almost added a third for the hosts with a fine dribbling run in which he beat three Forest players only to shoot just wide.
But Forest equalised in the 70th minute after breaching Brighton’s offside trap.
Gibbs-White timed his run perfectly to be through on the home goal and unselfishly squared the ball to substitute Ramon Sosa to score his first goal in English football.
Either side would have gone fourth with a win, but instead Brighton remain seventh, while Forest climb a place to eighth.
Both teams have enjoyed fine starts to the campaign and have now won two and drawn three of their five Premier League matches, while Brighton have also reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.
The hosts made a bright start as Simon Adingra caused problems, but his low, powerful cross from inside the penalty area could not find a team-mate.
Forest came into this match after an excellent 1-0 win at Liverpool and Nuno’s side maintained their record of scoring first in each of their league matches this season.Wood, who had a loan spell at Brighton in 2010-11, calmly sent home goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Brighton gave Forest a warning when Georginio Rutter spun and shot wide from 20 yards, before Hinshelwood equalised with the Seagulls’ first effort on target.
Nevertheless, a point apiece was a fair conclusion to a hugely entertaining match. (Agencies)
