Brighton 3 Liverpool 3
The Retrospective Series Vol.8: 17th October 1981
The Retrospective Series Vol.8: 17th October 1981
Welcome to the latest in a continuing series of retrospective match reports on my beloved football team that have intrigued me enough all these years later, and after seeing a substantial highlights package of the game that I’ve either never seen before or not seen in a long time as well as amusing the footballing child in me for the stark differences shown between the grit and determination of a long ago game of football that’s now been replaced by an often otherworldly 2022 brand of “PlayStation Football”. With an opening thanks as ever to the www.youtube.com channel linked at the end of this paragraph, and the reason I’m able to wallow in such beautiful nostalgia and write about it, this volume in particular will be an “old and new” edition as well as written in the style of a “Goal Alert” that I hope will paint a vivid and enjoyable picture.
Dave Waller
This channel is about a football team - the greatest team you've ever seen. A team that played total football, won the…www.youtube.com
On a wet and blustery south coast of England and a Goldstone Ground pitch that appears to have a little standing water in places with divots littering a heavy pitch, the hometown royal blues of Brighton and Hove Albion fielded recent signing Jimmy Case, and the first time the Liverpool born legend had faced his old team since his transfer to the South Coast in the summer. With skipper Steve Foster partnering Steve Gatting in defence, Andy Ritchie in midfield and Gordon Smith in attack, a fresh faced Michael Robinson would have quite an impact in this game as you will read, and secure a future transfer to Liverpool where he would become a League Champion, League Cup winner and European Cup winner all in one glorious season. On the substitutes bench for the visiting Liverpool Reds was recent signing from Brighton, Mark Lawrenson, with Alan Kennedy keeping his positional place at left back and with David Johnson missing, recent signing and a young and struggling Ian Rush was given a start in attack.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Liverpool 1 (Dalglish 12mins)
With Brighton unable to significantly leave their own half they fall deeper and deeper under incessant pressure into their own half before giving away a needless and sloppy corner. This would be an early indication of both an overall “comedy of errors” display from their defence as well as seeing the weather effects as a defensive back pass fizzed and skidded over the rain drenched surface and out for a costly corner. Sammy Lee’s corner found an unmarked Kenny Dalglish and his downward header slipped under the grasp of Brighton goalkeeper Perry Digweed and slithered it’s way slowly into the far corner of his goal, giving the Scotsman his first league goal in nearly a year.
GOAL! Brighton 0 Liverpool 2 (Kennedy 39mins)
A brilliant team move led to a singular defensive error that would prove so costly for the hosts. The Reds cycled the ball from Kennedy to Kennedy, Ray to Alan, before a quick one-two involving Dalglish released Alan Kennedy to cross dangerously into the Brighton six yard area. Steve Gatting was fooled by his defensive partner scuffing a clearance, and missing, with Gatting then inadvertently hitting the ball against his own post and Ray Kennedy, being the great midfielder he was and simply alertly following the action into an opponents penalty area, tapped into a virtually empty net.
GOAL! Brighton 1 Liverpool 2 (Foster 49mins)
Following the half-time break the hosts are far more urgent and progressive with the ball in the Liverpool half, led by a fierce shot from Tony Grealish that Reds goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar easily saved. However, a loose and reckless ball back into play from the Zimbabwean International led to Grealish almost immediately snagging possession again and forcing a needless and gift corner from Liverpool. Neil McNab’s corner is powerfully headed downward and goalward by Brighton skipper Steve Foster and although (seemingly) as well as clearly saved on his goal line by Bruce Grobbelaar, referee Ken Salmon awarded the goal and the hosts were back in the game.
GOAL! Brighton 1 Liverpool 3 (McDermott 73mins)
Smooth possession football finally breaks out on this quagmire of a pitch! A flowing and patient move involving Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish and Sammy Lee ends with Ray Kennedy floating a perfect ball to the back post for an onrushing and unmarked Terry McDermott. Following an instant control, McDermott’s immediate shot flicks a Brighton defender and loops high and lazily over a stranded Perry Digweed in the home team goal, nestling perfectly, and luckily, in the far corner. With 17 minutes left, the Reds have a deserved 3–1 lead and are seemingly on their way to a first away win in the league championship for over a month.
GOAL! Brighton 2 Liverpool 3 (Case 80mins)
It just had to be! The old boy strikes back against his boyhood team and suddenly it’s very much game on. Brighton move the ball from side to side and virtually the length of the field as Michael Robinson on the left feeds Grealish and Andy Ritchie in the middle of the now boggy pitch, before releasing Donald Shanks marauding on the right flank from his right back defensive position. His cross is brilliantly and powerfully headed into the top corner of Bruce Grobbelaar’s net by Case, and just two minutes later, the six goal thriller on a rain soaked south coast of England would be complete.
GOAL! Brighton 3 Liverpool 3 (Ritchie 82mins)
Michael Robinson wins a free kick through dogged attacking persistence before flicking on the resultant free kick which dribbles on the drenched surface through to Donald Shanks again who crosses immediately into the Liverpool penalty area for a magnificent leaping headed goal from Andy Ritchie. “Absolutely sensational” screams the TV commentator before confirming the scenes from the vast majority of the 26,321 in a crowd and described as “going berserk!”.
Indeed they were, and from 3–1 down with just 17 minutes remaining, Brighton had unbelievably stolen a point as well as ensuring Liverpool disappointingly dropped 2. The draw left both teams on 14 total points for the season hence far and the Blues above the Reds (9th and 10th positions respectfully) on goal difference only.
Thanks for reading. Volume 9 coming soon will be the battle of the north west giants as Manchester United visit Anfield for a typically bruising encounter one week on from this game. Volumes 5, 6 and 7 are linked below should you have enjoyed this brief meander along footballing memory lane:
Liverpool 0 Aston Villa 0
The Retrospective Series Vol.5: 19th September 1981medium.com
West Ham United 1 Liverpool 1
The Retrospective Series Vol.6: 26th September 1981medium.com
Liverpool 2 Swansea City 2
The Retrospective Series Vol.7: An emotional first game since the death of Bill Shankly.medium.com