Match report: Arsenal U-23 2-1 Brighton

2 - 1

WHAT HAPPENED

Our 100 per cent start to the season continued at Meadow Park, as goals from Nathan Tormey and Emile Smith Rowe saw us beat Brighton & Hove Albion.

We started the stronger of the two sides and went close through Folarin Balogun and Robbie Burton efforts inside the first 10 minutes, though neither effort troubled Tom McGill.

Moments later, Zak Swanson presented a golden chance to the visitors but Peter Gwargis curled his effort over the bar from close range.

Balogun was impressing down the left side and after cutting across his man he lofted a teasing ball towards the back post, which just evaded Trae Coyle.

In the 15th minute, George Cox hit a speculative effort from the edge of the box but his well-struck effort didn’t trouble James Hillson.

We were denied a penalty shortly after when Balogun was seemingly brought down by Archie Davies after the youngster had beaten him for pace, but the referee was quick to wave away the claim.

Midway through the first half, Tyreece John-Jules pinched the ball in the middle of the field and perfectly timed a pass into the path of Balogun, who saw his first-time strike curl wide.

Brighton had us pinned in our own half in the closing stages of the first half and after a well-defended corner, Cox struck another long range effort over.

In the opening exchanges of the second half John-Jules almost lit up the occasion with an acrobatic bicycle kick, but his effort looped over the bar.

However, we did break the deadlock in the 58th minute when Balogun skipped past his man, broke into the box and picked out Tormey, who coolly directed the ball into the bottom corner.

Smith Rowe then doubled our advantage four minutes later as he picked up the ball in the centre of the field, drove into the box and fired into the top corner.

Trae Coyle almost rounded off the match with his first goal of the season but McGill stood tall and saved well.

Ryan Longman puled a goal back for the visitors in injury time when he rose highest at a corner to head past Hillson.

But despite a Brighton onslaught, we stood strong to claim all three points.