150 Consecutive Days At The Top

Brighton & Hove Albion are today celebrating 150 consecutive days at the top of nPower League One.

The run started when Fran Sandaza smashed in an injury time winner against Oldham on Saturday 25th September 2010, and the club haven’t looked back since.

In that time The Seagulls have played 20 games, winning 12, drawing 6 and losing just twice (away at Hartlepool and Bournemouth) – an impressive points haul of 42 points.

The points gap at the top has been extended as far as 8 points, has gone down to just 1 point and been everywhere in between – Second place has changed hands no fewer than 14 times.

On this day, the 150th day, Poyet’s table toppers are two points clear, but with a vital three games in hand on second placed Bournemouth.

Brighton have been amazingly fortunate to stay top in all that time. Despite going through a bad patch in November and December where no victory was recorded in five games, no team seemed to want to over take them. Every time a challenger had the chance to take top spot they lost.

Even when Brighton games have been called off because of the weather or the run to fifth round of The FA Cup, still no team wanted to take advantage.

Bournemouth, Southampton and Charlton had the best chances, but still couldn’t end Brighton’s run.

Bournemouth had the latest chance to take top spot. With Brighton’s involvement in The FA Cup, Bournemouth were 3 points behind Brighton, with two games to play before The Seagulls were back in League action.

Four points from their two games against Bristol Rovers and Huddersfield would be enough to take them to the summit.

Luckily for Brighton, the game at The Memorial Ground was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, meaning that Bournemouth could only take spot with a victory over third placed Huddersfield by an eight goal winning margin.

Bournemouth were winning against Huddersfield until the 89th minute, until Danny Cademateri equalised, snatching a point for Huddersfield.

Bournemouth could have been joint top with The Seagulls, but now find themselves two points behind, having played three games more.

The Cherries will once again have a chance to take top spot tomorrow night. A win for them against an out of sorts Sheffield Wednesday team, coupled with a Plymouth victory at Brighton will see Brighton’s run come to an end after 151 days.

Of course it doesn’t matter if Brighton fall off top spot at any point during the season, but keeping the run going is a massive confidence boost to the club.

All that really matters is that Brighton are in the top two when it comes to the end of the season – That would mean Championship football, when they move into their impressive AMEX stadium in August.

Gus Poyet has already stated that the league is there for the taking, and he will be telling his players that, starting tomorrow night against Plymouth Argyle.