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By Paul Camillin, at Woodside Road |
15:00: Albion kick off their second pre-season game. Kerry Mayo is expected to play the second half for Albion and fans get their first glimpse of new signing Kevin McLeod; while Adam El-Abd, Glenn Murray and Joe Gatting are set to make their first appearances of pre-season.
15:01: GOAL! Not quite with his first touch as an Albion player, but McLeod opens the scoring after 75 seconds! The former Everton winger picks up a short corner and shoots left footed into the bottom corner.
15:12: Albion look in total control, and McLeod's cross from the left is well held by home keeper Alan Mansfield, under pressure from Albion striker Glenn Murray.
15:15: On their first attack of note, former West Ham and Oxford striker Mani Omoyinyi hits the post for the home side, following good approach play by Rebels striker Paul Elliott on the left wing.
15:18: GOAL! Murray gets on the end of Nicky Forster's flick on and lobs the ball over Mansfield to make it 2-0 to Albion with less than 20 minutes played.
15:23: On a rare foray forward for the home team Michel Kuipers confidentally claims Roy Pook's left-wing free-kick. At the other end the impressive McLeod tries his luck with a low drive from the edge of the box, which home keeper Mansfield blocks low to his right.
15:26: After skipping past two home defenders McLeod picks out Murray with yet another left-wing cross, but Mansfield easily claims the Albion striker's looping header.
15:36: Worting have a bit more of a hold in the game, but Albion are still on top. Fraser's diagonal ball from the right causes panic in the Worthing defence and former Albion defender Ben Andrews loops a clearance over his own bar.
15:40: McLeod's excellent free-kick from the left eventually falls to Fraser who forces a brilliant one-handed save from Mansfield. From the resultant corner - also taken by McLeod - Murray's glancing header hits the left-hand post.
15:45: Half-time: Worthing 0 Albion 2. An excellent first half from Albion, with goals from McLeod and Murray.
16:00: The second half is underway, with only El-Abd, Murray and trialist Michael Haswell re-appearing. Mayo is on. Albion's second-half line up is: Sullivan, Whing, Hawkins, Elphick, Haswell; Robinson, El-Abd, Chamberlain, Mayo; Dixon, Murray.
16:08: Both Murray and Dixon have already gone close for Albion. Former Albion ballboy Justin Gregory is replaced by Harry Constable for the home side.
16:15: Gatting is on in place of Murray, while Haswell moves to left midfield with Mayo moving to left-back for the last 30 minutes.
16:18: Jonny Dixon gets a head to Andrew Whing's cross from the right - but doesn't get a clean connection on the ball and sees his header loop over the bar.
16:26: GOAL! A dominant spell for Albion sees Dixon tries his luck with a lobbed attempt, before Gatting sees a shot diverted behind. Colin Hawkins heads home Albion's third from the corner.
16:33: A brilliant tackle by Worthing's Constable denies Gatting a fourth for Albion. From the corner Mansfield makes a brilliant save from his own defender Andy Alexander.
16:34: GOAL! A low drive from young midfielder Scott Chamberlain is deflected past Mansfield for Albion's fourth goal.
16:36: Mayo's clever ball from left-back puts Haswell free in space on the left. His cross is missed by Jake Robinson at the near post, and Gatting on the far post fires wide.
16:40: A brilliant defence-splitting pass from Robinson sends Gatting clear on goal. The forward fires his left-footed shot past Mansfield, but wide of the right post.
16:48: Full time: Worthing 0 Albion 4. An excellent pre-season performance from the team, with four well-taken goals in a comfortable 4-0 win over Worthing, who as usual were superb hosts. Thanks to all at Woodside Road.
Albion (first half): (4-4-2) Kuipers, El-Abd, Virgo, Lynch, Haswell; Cox, Thomson, Fraser, McLeod; Murray, Forster.
Albion (second half): Sullivan, Whing, Hawkins, Elphick, Haswell; Robinson, El-Abd, Chamberlain, Mayo; Dixon, Murray (Gatting, 60).
Attendance: 2021
