Albion's under-18s surrendered a two-goal cushion to eventually lose 3-2 to Gillingham this afternoon at a sun-kissed University of Sussex.
In a tale of two halves, Leon Redwood had put the Seagulls firmly in the driving seat with a first-half brace, but three unanswered goals after the interval completed a stunning turnaround for the visitors.
Redwood got Albion off to a flyer, firing the ball right-footed into the far corner with only eight minutes on the clock.
Shortly before half-time the pacey winger doubled Albion's tally from an identical position, this time drilling the ball left-footed inside the near post.
But two quickfire goals from Jack Evans and Dean Rance soon after the interval brought the visitors right back into it, and when Rance took advantage of an uncharacteristic Ryan Thomson error to make it 3-2 in the 65th minute, Gillingham's remarkable comeback was complete.
Youth team boss Steve Brown told seagulls.co.uk, "As dominant as we were in the first half, and deservedly led 2-0, we gave away a goal early in the second half and we began to panic.
"It's not the first time it's happened this season, and once Gillingham got the bit between their teeth and our heads dropped, it was a case of hanging on, which we couldn't do. Very disappointed."
Albion: (4-4-2) James; Cooper, Strong, Sheriff, Bolwell; Hayward (Woodley 70), Wilkins, Thomson, Redwood; Hider, Barker. Subs not used: Godfrey (GK), Dunk, Vickers.
