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

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
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.

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

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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 Davy Propper had to be withdrawn due to injury, so Beram Kayal came on in the Dutchman's stead.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.

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

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.

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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.

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

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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.

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

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.

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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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