Winter solstice spent back in the 1800s: Palace 1-1 Brighton photos
Selhurst Park is a dark place, like being transported back to the 1800s – making it rather apt that these photos of the annual 1-1 draw between Crystal Palace and Brighton took place on the winter solstice when daylight is at its absolute minimum.
All the usual ingredients for an evening spent in the Victorian era were there. Police who had forgotten they are meant to treat people as human beings. Horse and dog shit all over the streets.
The risk of catching TB, polio and goodness knows what other diseases. And a game of football taking place in a stadium which has been barely modernised since Tsar Nicolas II was ruling Russia from the Winter Palace.
Of course, the Selhurst scenery is not the only thing that never changes when the Albion visit. For the fifth game in succession, the spoils were shared. Palace and Brighton drawing 1-1 in deepest, darkest Croydon has become a tradition.
Through the opening 44 minutes, it was a cagey affair pretty devoid of entertainment. But then the Albion decided to liven things up by gifting their arch rivals a goal.
Bart Verbruggen passed straight to Palace dangerman Michael Olise and seconds later, Jordan Ayew had the ball in the back of the net – another Brighton goalkeeping cock up to go with Robert Sanchez dropping a simple catch in February’s 1-1 draw between Eagles and Seagulls.
Roberto De Zerbi introduced Facundo Buonanotte and Danny Welbeck for the second half and the Albion were much improved, dominating proceedings.
It looked though like Palace were going to get away with three points through sticking 11 men behind the ball as late as the final 10 minutes.
That was when Pascal Gross crossed and Welbeck produced the sort of pinpoint header into the very top corner to secure a draw for Brighton – the least the Albion deserved from their journey back in time.
If you have any photos you would like included in our Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton gallery, please e-mail them to wearebrighton@hotmail.co.uk or tweet them to us @wearebrighton
