The Brighton bubble has burst. Ten days after Middlesbrough ended the unbeaten run of Chris Hughton’s side Daryl Murphy’s first-half goal condemned them to another defeat in front of the biggest crowd of the season at the Amex Stadium.
Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town are coming into some good form of their own and this was their fifth successive away win. The orange-shirted Ipswich deserved their victory and, on their form over Christmas, suggest they and not Brighton will be challenging for a Premier League place next spring.
Brighton’s transformation under Hughton has been remarkable, though. When the manager headed down to Sussex on New Year’s Eve last year the side were in the relegation zone. But injuries are mounting at a crucial time for the Seagulls, their veteran captain Gordon Greer the latest man to be left on the sidelines after injuring a hamstring in the Boxing Day draw at Brentford. Hughton is now considering a loan move for Liam Ridgewell, the former Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion defender, now playing in the States for Portland Timbers.
James Wilson, the young striker on loan from Manchester United who has made a big impact in the last month, was on the bench after the illness that forced him to miss the second half at Griffin Park. It left the Brighton attack looking a little lightweight and although Beram Kayal hit a fizzing shot from 25 yards just past Dean Gerken’s post there were ominous early signs for Hughton’s team.
Kevin Bru’s thumping drive rattled David Stockdale’s bar and although Dale Stephens scrambled the ball into the Ipswich net after good work on the right by Kayal’s fellow Israeli Tomer Hemed Ipswich took the lead. Murphy slippe his marker Lewis Dunk and hit an angled shot across Stockdale’s goal which hit the far post and went over the line.
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