Brighton & Hove Albion Match Stats Preview

History of the Brighton & Hove Albion v Carlisle United fixture

Carlisle travel to Sussex tomorrow on the back of a pretty good record at the Goldstone Ground and Withdean Stadium over the years. United having won six and drawn two of their 15 games played away to Brighton.

Last season in League One the Blues taking all three points courtesy of a 2-1 win at the Withdean Stadium in mid-April despite being outgunned at 22 goal attempts to five. It's goals that count though and United took the lead in the 33rd minute through an Ian Harte free-kick before Tommy Elphick looked to have grabbed a point for Albion in the 85th minute. Gary Madine had other ideas though and it was his goal two minutes from time that meant Carlisle took the win.

In the 2008-09 League One campaign came another victory for the Blues at the Withdean Stadium as they won 2-0 in front of 5,529 spectators. Both goals for the Cumbrians coming in a four minute first-half spell through Joe Anyinsah and Richard Keogh on 25 and 28 minutes respectively.

Three of Carlisle's six wins on Sussex soil have been 3-1 victories. United winning by that scoreline in 1998-99 - goals from Scott Dobie, Steve Finney and Scott Paterson (attendance 4,163), and in the 1996-97 promotion season - goals from Stephane Pounewatchy, Warren Aspinall and Allan Smart (attendance 4,155).

The other 3-1 victory came in another Division Four promotion campaign, in 1963-64, as United went up alongside local rivals Workington, the goals on that last day of the season coming from a Johnny Evans brace and Hugh McIlmoyle (attendance 8,773).

United's sixth and final win coming five seasons ago when the Blues won 2-1 in a League One match on a soaking wet Saturday afternoon in late December 2006. Brighton taking the lead through Joe Gatting in the 37th minute in front of 5,436 spectators at the Withdean Stadium.

United fought back strongly after the break though with Zigor Aranalde equalising from the rebound on 56 minutes after Karl Hawley's header had come back off the underside of the Albion crossbar. Neale McDermott then grabbing a late winner for the Blues in the 82nd minute when he thumped the ball home following Wayne Henderson's save from Hawley's penalty.

Brighton's biggest margin of victory over the Blues came just over 20 years ago at the old Goldstone Ground in the 1985-86 Second Division "Jim Tolmie" relegation campaign that saw the Blues fall through the trapdoor along with now Championship side Middlesbrough and Premier League outfit Fulham.

In front of 8,608 spectators United found themselves 2-0 down at half-time only to ship another four goals in the second period, a solitary consolation strike from Rob Wakenshaw leaving the final scoreline at a gruesome 6-1 to the Seagulls.

Recent encounters between the teams

For a detailed analysis of the complete head-to-head record between the two sides, click here

Recent respective form guides

Brighton could not have more impressive recent home form, having won all of their last six games at the Withdean Stadium. In this time the Seagulls have rattled up a remarkable 21 goals, and conceded only three.

Carlisle meanwhile have a pretty reasonable recent record on the road, winning and losing three each of their last six games away from Brunton Park, with the three victories coming in United's last three matches outside of Cumbria. Only five goals have been registered in the six games though, with seven leaked at the wrong end.

Brighton are leading the way in the Npower League One table at the moment, with their 31 games contested to date giving them a return of 62 points. Meanwhile, Carlisle's 45 points picked up from 32 games sees them lie inside the top half of the table, in tenth position.

Current overall team form

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FootyMad's prediction ...

FootyMad see this game edging towards a narrow win for the Seagulls, despite the recent improved form of the Cumbrians on the road..... Home win

Sequence statistics

For a detailed analysis of current team sequences throughout the leagues, click here