Brighton v Brentford
Play By Play
The final whistle sounds in East Sussex and Brighton move second in the Premier League table with a comfortable 2-0 win against the 10 men of Brentford. A goal right out of the top draw opened the scoring in the 15th minute, as Gomez continued with his 'worldie' catalogue. He took down a dropping ball 25 yards out, and then pinged a wonderful half-volley into the top-left corner, almost overshadowing his goal from halfway in the Seagulls' previous home match. After this, Thiago was sent off after referee Oliver upgraded his initial yellow card to a red with the help of the VAR. The Brazilian striker was initially pulled down by Andres, who was booked, yet his shoving, bloody lip-bringing reaction showed violent conduct in the 23rd minute. Just before the break, Brighton doubled the advantage, as Lewis-Potter hauled Vuskovic to the floor in the box. Gross was cool from the spot and emphatically powered into the top right from 12 yards. While this game started at a brilliant pace, it did admittedly trail off in the second 45 minutes. Alas, the 2.2 xG-toting Brighton won't care as they move up to second with a quarter of the season gone. Brentford now drop to eighth after this 10-man outing that saw them muster a 0.73 xG. Thank you for joining us. Goodbye!
FULL-TIME: BRIGHTON 2-0 BRENTFORD
Brentford get a free-kick a yard outside the Brighton box. However, Jensen can only blast into the bodies.
The fans are up again now, as wondergoal scorer Gomez is off for Malick Yalcouye. What a strike that was.
We'll see a minimum of five added minutes here.
There's applause now, as Rutter is up after his heavy collision with Kayode.
PENALTY BRIGHTON? It doesn't look like it, even though Kayode collides with Rutter in the area. This looks like a sore one for both.
A flock of seagulls have flown into the stadium now, with many in the ground chanting 'SEAGULLS, SEAGULLS, SEAGULLS'. Fair enough.
HINSHELWOOD! Close! Gaps open up in the Brentford ranks, and the young sub has a go from distance. His low drive just glances past the left post!
A lovely ball from Minteh flies over from the left, yet despite the spell that sees Diouf in a spin, there's no one in the middle. Up the other end, Brentford break away and find Schade in the centre. He just can't keep the shot down from Wilson's cross.
De Cuyper is off next, as Yankuba Minteh enters for his first Premier League appearance of the season following a difficult time with a foot injury.
Hinshelwood belts a poor cross over and behind from the left. This gives the home side a chance for another late change or two. Kostoulas comes off for Georginio Rutter.
Costinha can't get onto a lofted ball from Gross as a series of close passes sees Brighton toy with their visitors in the Bees' box.
Following that flurry of chances, the much-appreciated Ayari is replaced by Jack Hinshelwood. He scored the winner in this fixture last season, when the Seagulls came from behind to win 2-1. Will he get in on the action again today?
CLOSE AGAIN! Ayari continues to cause trouble for the visitors, and his latest effort follows fine footwork as he strikes low on target from range! Kelleher claims it well.
AYARI AGAIN! The corner is headed out by Schade, and the Swede just pulls his shot across goal from the right, flashing past the base of the left post and a diving Kelleher!
AYARI! Boscagli threads the midfielder in excellently, yet the whipped effort is diverted over by Ajer!
Kostoulas has gone down holding his face after an accidental collision. Hurzeler tells the young forward to get up!
Van den Berg makes way now. On comes Callum Wilson, in something of a positive change.
Vuskovic and Schade are involved in an off-ball shoving match. There looks like a lot of shirt pulling from both parties, and now Schade finds himself in the book for his reaction to getting blocked off in the channel.
After a succession of corners and a long throw, Brighton deal well with the Bees' aerial threat and regain possession for the first time in a few minutes.
It's been tricky for the West Londoners today. Brentford have now conceded in all eight of their away matches this season. Schade tries to dampen the blow now, and Costinha has to usher him out for a corner on the left.
Brighton have conceded just one second-half goal so far this term. We're a quarter of the way through the Premier League campaign. It's an outstanding record, and the best in the division.
A cynical and somewhat needless tackle from Dunk on Schade brings the experienced defender a booking.
The next alteration sees Sangare depart for Mathias Jensen.
