Leeds 1 Brighton 0: What the Hecke?

Brighton went to Elland Road with Europe in reach. Manchester City lifting the FA Cup had handed the league an extra spot, and we were sitting in it. Then Jan Paul van Hecke played a back-pass like he had, had some space cake in the interval.

Ninety-six minutes on the clock. Six minutes of added time. Brighton had been the better side for most of the second half.  

The clock ran down. Then van Hecke’s back-pass barely travelled. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, suddenly found himself through on goal. Around Verbruggen. Tap in. Elland Road exploded. Our bench looked like somebody had unplugged life support.

1-0

The wife could not make it. Nigel and Billy came instead. She is from Leeds. Her family rang her at full-time. I do not need to tell you what I walked into. Three grown men in the car. Silence down the M1. Only punctuated by Billy requesting to stop at each motorway service station.

You can dress this up however you want. We deserved a draw. We probably deserved more. Leeds had not had a shot on target until Calvert-Lewin’s. But football does not hand you what you deserve.

Google"ARSENAL" for the best example of that!

Calvert-Lewin. Of all people. The bloke Nigel has watched bully Brighton for years in an Everton shirt, now harassing us from Yorkshire.

Nigel had us 3-1. He is doing the zip wire on Wednesday as forfeit. He hates heights so much he gets nervous on curbs. Staff will need to peel him off the launch platform. Billy could not call it. Too preoccupied, that we had to forgo "Fish & Chips".On account of avoiding Yorkshire people bleating on about the win.

Hurzeler will not panic. Twenty-two points from the last thirty. We have lost two of those, one at Newcastle, the other decided by a defender’s brain leaving the building. Bournemouth above us. Brentford below.

The final day brings Manchester United to the Amex. My son will be sat beside me in full hospitality, and, to his horror, he won’t be allowed to wear a United shirt or applaud anything other than Brighton brilliance.

Mental cruelty? hopefully

Win and we are in Europe for only the second time in our history. Anything else and we sit at home pretending Thursday nights in Slovenia looked exhausting anyway.

So that is where we are. One game. One result. One chance for Brighton. In the style of Shaun Wallace from The Chase:

“It all comes down to a one-game shootout.”

Final Thought

Van Hecke had better do something special against Manchester or he will be asking the fans:

"Don't Look Back in Anger"

Take care of yourselves. And each other