Bournemouth vs Brighton and Hove Albion. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance10,065.
Report and highlights as goals from Harry Wilson, Callum Wilson and an own goal from Pascal Gross earn Bournemouth an important win over Brighton.
Wednesday 22 January 2020 06:14, UK
Clinical finishing and a superb performance from goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale took Bournemouth to a much-needed 3-1 victory over fellow south coast strugglers Brighton and eased the pressure on boss Eddie Howe.
The visitors dominated the opening half an hour at the Vitality Stadium, with Neal Maupay drawing a stunning one-handed close-range stop from Ramsdale but Harry Wilson smacked home Bournemouth's opener (36) against the run of play.
Howe's struggling side then pulled two clear when Brighton's Pascal Gross diverted the ball into his own net under pressure from Callum Wilson from a corner (41) and Ramsdale proceeded to pull off a string of fine saves after the break to maintain the advantage.
Callum Wilson (74) then coolly slotted home a third to seal the points and, although Aaron Mooy eventually found a way past Ramsdale, Bournemouth held on for just their second win in 13 Premier League games.
The result moves Bournemouth on to 23 points, level with fourth-bottom West Ham, while Brighton stay 15th but are just two points above the drop zone.
Brighton had started confidently, dominating the play with over 70 per cent possession for the first 30 minutes. However, they were short of quality in the final third, with Bernardo's two early shots not finding the target and fine crosses from Mooy and Gross fizzing through the Bournemouth area untouched.
Brighton looked like they were about to break the deadlock on 28 minutes when a moment of magic from Mooy split the Bournemouth defence but Ramsdale stretched out a firm right hand to paw away Maupay's fierce shot.
Bournemouth eventually began to get a foothold, though, and, after Diego Rico hit the side-netting, Harry Wilson made the unlikely breakthrough.
Brighton, who had conceded in each of their last eight away games, were caught out by a long ball forwards, which Lewis Dunk could only nod to Solanke on the edge of the box and the forward coolly passed it on for Harry Wilson to smash in.
Bournemouth had failed to score in seven of their last nine but were two up moments later when a Rico corner into the six-yard box went in off Gross - although Callum Wilson looked to have a good claim on it.
It was almost three on 59 minutes, when Philip Billing's back-post header drew a superb save from Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan, and Seagulls boss Graham Potter responded with a triple substitution.
But the changes were to no avail as an in-form Ramsdale denied Dunk from distance and from close range, parried Maupay's shot at full-stretch and then tipped Mooy's dipping effort over the bar.
Bournemouth capitalised by adding a third, when Callum Wilson picked up Solanke's clipped pass, took it around Ryan and tucked home his first Premier League goal since September.
Finally, Ramsdale's resistance was broken on 81 minutes, when Mooy fired in a fierce left-foot shot off the upright but any hopes of a late rally never materialised with a Leandro Trossard shot just wide of the post Brighton's best effort in the final stages.
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe: "It's a really nice feeling, it's nice for everyone connected with the club. We needed that. It was a hard game, Brighton are a good team, but we gave everything to the match. We committed physically, the lads were flat out at the end, and that's all I can ask.
"Nothing was going to be decided tonight but it lifts us, it gives us the confidence and the belief to say we're still fighting and competing to stay in the division. There's a lot more football to come and we need to back it up."
Brighton boss Graham Potter: "The first 30 minutes was really good, to a point where the crowd were about to turn on the home team because we were that much in control.
"We had a few opportunities but then the game seemed to turn on its head with five minutes of madness that put a different complexion on things. I was really disappointed with that - we have to do better in those situations. That's the difference in the game - what happened in both boxes - and the score line has come out the other side for us.
"Their keeper made a few saves but if you don't defend your box or get that bit of luck the score line goes against you."
Brighton have a weekend off before travelling to West Ham on Saturday February 1 in the Premier League, while Bournemouth take on Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Monday before another crunch league game with Aston Villa next Saturday.
