Goal on the watch but not the radio: Pitfalls of listening to Brighton online
For the Watford v Brighton game, I decided to change things up a bit and listen to BBC Radio Sussex via the Albion website rather than through the wireless.
This was to hopefully ensure a good, uninterrupted commentary. And for 80 of the 90 minutes, it worked. The sound quality was so clear you could hear the wind from Vicarage Road.
Unfortunately, the clearness of listening over the internet comes at a price – a significant time delay. As the game ticked into the 82nd minute and Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall were praising a good bit of Watford defending, my watch buzzes with an alert: Brighton goal.
Hang on a minute, they have not even taken the corner on the radio. I waited, waited, waited, waited… and then Adam Webster scored in a goalmouth scuffle. Brighton led Watford 2-0 and all three points were as good as in the bag.
When having to wait three minutes to find out how the Albion scored their second goal is the biggest gripe of the afternoon, you know it has been a good day.
The sun shone both in Sussex and Watford. Adrian Charms, Johnny and Warren said before the game that they needed sunglasses to see what was going on. Watching the highlights back, even Roy Hodgson needed a cap to keep the sun out of his eyes.
Watford’s traditional theme music of Z Cars greeted the teams onto the pitch. There was a surprise in the starting XI with Yves Bissouma and Leandro Trossard left on the bench and Graham Potter instead starting Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana.
Johnny and Warren were impressed by the Albion’s positive start, including an early corner that came to nothing.
I read somewhere recently that a corner coach now sits on the Brighton bench to help out with set pieces. Maybe this is why we have looked so dangerous from corners and free kicks in recent months?
Jakub Moder had a good chance but as has been the case throughout his Albion career so far, he could not find the back of the net.
It will surely not be long before Moder puts the ball in the onion bag, to coin a favourite phrase of Mr Aspinall.
Neal Maupay was then given too much space by the Watford defence and he took a cracking early shot saved by Ben Foster.
Brighton had nearly all the possession in the first half. There was only one heart-in-mouth moment when Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis broke down the right after Joel Veltman lost possession.
It sounded as if Dennis was on an express train the speed he was going and when watching it back it looked that way too.
When Dennis burst inside, Lewis Dunk intercepted to prevent the shot. Dunk must have clipped Dennis however as referee Jonathan Moss awarded a free kick right on the edge of the box. Dennis took it but thankfully put it wide right of the Albion goal.
Brighton got their break in the 44th minute when Tariq Lamptey crossed from the right and Maupay caught the ball with a right foot volley.
The ball defied the swirling wind and went straight into the back of the net. It sounded great on the radio – with no watch spoilers – and was even more spectacular when watched back.
Maupay is now level as the leading Albion goal scorer in the Premier League alongside the legend Glenn Murray – not bad company for a striker to be in.
Dennis continued to be Watford’s biggest threat in the second half. It looked like he would score when running past a couple of Brighton defenders only to hit the crossbar.
Watford did seem more organised but they were also becoming frustrated. A seething chop on Lamptey earned Hassane Kamara a yellow card. Lamptey did not appear injured, thank God.
The opportunities seemed to be coming thick and fast now on the radio, the result being my cup of tea getting slopped all over the shop with excitement.
Oh for this run of four consecutive away games to be over so we can all get back to the Amex for Burnley – even if there are no trains heading south to Brighton. My settee needs a rest and I can’t keep spilling tea.
Marc Cucurella had a shot saved by Foster and then it was Moder’s turn to be denied again. What does he have to do score?!
And then came the watch alert. Webster had fired in a rebound with his left foot over Foster and high into the roof of the Watford net.
Watford managed to muster one more chance after Brighton went 2-0 ahead, Ismaila Sarr having a shot safely dealt with by Robert Sanchez.
The full time whistle then blew over the radio, meaning the action at Vicarage Road had probably finished five minutes ago.
Another clean sheet and another three points set us up nicely for Tuesday night’s trip to Manchester United, where the radio will again keep me up-to-date – although maybe not listening through the internet this time!
On a final note, I really enjoyed watching Newcastle number 33 Big Dan Burn make his debut for his boyhood club against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
Burn gave a performance worthy of the Sky Sports Man-of-the-Match award as Newcastle beat Villa 1-0. You could see how much it meant to him and it is great to see him making a real impression right away.
Up the Burn and Up the Albion!
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
