Denis Undav opens his objective account as Brighton’s children money in | Carabao Cup

It was enterprise as typical for Brighton & Hove Albion as they coasted into the third spherical of the Carabao Cup after easing previous Forest Inexperienced Rovers courtesy of first-half objectives by Deniz Undav and Steven Alzate and a stoppage-time strike by Evan Ferguson. Victory for Graham Potter’s facet maintained their glistening begin to the season and earned them a visit to Arsenal. For the 1,000-plus Brighton supporters housed within the away terrace, this was a glance into the long run with eight youngsters that includes on the night time as Potter gave six gamers their full debuts.

On the ultimate whistle Potter and Ian Burchnall shook fingers, hugged and little question forged their minds again to their first assembly as rookie managers, when the pair have been on the centre of pupil rivalries teaching college groups part-time in Leeds. Earlier than kick-off Forest Inexperienced supervisor Burchnall gave Potter and his longstanding assistant, Billy Reid, whose condominium Burchnall moved into after succeeding Potter at Ostersund in Sweden, and first-team coach, Bjorn Hamberg, a heat embrace. “I spoke to Graham about Evan Ferguson over the summer time and he’s a prime participant,” Burchnall stated.

The final time the pair confronted one another was when Burchnall took his Viking workforce to Ostersund, 600km north of Stockholm, for a pleasant. This was a contrasting backdrop on a balmy night on an natural pitch within the Cotswolds at a stadium surrounded by rolling hills. Described by Fifa because the greenest membership on the planet, Forest Inexperienced satisfaction themselves on sustainability and are recognised as carbon impartial by the United Nations.

Brighton, as they did efficiently on this competitors at Cardiff final season, dissected lower-league opposition regardless of wholesale modifications. Undav, who was prolific final season on mortgage at Union Saint-Gilloise, the Belgian membership additionally owned by the Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, opened his Brighton account with a sensible end after being slipped in by the 17-year-old Ferguson. Levi Colwill seemed composed on his first begin since becoming a member of on mortgage from Chelsea, as did Kaoru Mitoma, a Japanese worldwide. Tariq Lamptey made his first begin of the season and Alzate, who doubled Brighton’s lead with a low strike from 20 yards, was among the many extra skilled within the Brighton beginning lineup.

Forest Inexperienced pressured an early nook in entrance of the Sustainably in Sport terrace however apart from a curled effort by Corey O’Keefe 10 minutes earlier than the interval they’d few sights of objective. Within the second half Josh March had a shot repelled by Jason Steele, who deputised for the previous Forest Inexperienced loanee Robert Sanchez, and from the ensuing nook Ben Stevenson skewed a half-volley broad. Brighton ought to have made it 3-0 on 64 minutes after the spectacular Ferguson beat the offside entice and calmly lifted the ball in direction of the again submit however Undav steered his header off course.

However Ferguson deservedly bought on the scoresheet to cap a fantastic show simply because the minds of the away followers turned to Leeds on Saturday. “I wouldn’t say it was comfy,” Potter stated. “If Forest Inexperienced had scored it could have made it tough.”

The Forest Inexperienced substitute Jamille Matt noticed an effort turned behind with 20 minutes to play and the next nook prompted a panic earlier than Brighton scrambled clear. The hosts didn’t relent and compelled a few probabilities late on however Steele stored out a Kyle McAllister shot and noticed one other loop kindly into his grasp. “The second objective is a killer, as a result of if we go in [at half-time] at 1-0, we’ve bought an opportunity,” Burchnall stated. “They confirmed they’ve bought Premier League high quality.”