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Championship
Apr 12, 2014 at 3.07pm UK
 
Charlton Athletic

3-0

Lingard (11'), Ulloa (43'), Forster-Caskey (95')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Preview: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Charlton Athletic

Sports Mole previews the Championship match between playoff-hopefuls Brighton & Hove Albion and relegation-threatened Charlton Athletic at the Amex Stadium.

Two clubs who are in need of the points for very different reasons meet at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as Brighton & Hove Albion host Charlton Athletic.

Both sides picked up crucial midweek Championship victories which boosted their hopes of securing a playoff berth and avoiding relegation respectively.

Brighton earned the scalp of newly-promoted Leicester City, thrashing the Premier League-bound Foxes 4-1 at the King Power Stadium to end their 21-game unbeaten run in the league.

Meanwhile, the Addicks recorded a fifth win in nine matches since Jose Riga's appointment by narrowly beating relegation rivals Yeovil Town to put some breathing space between them and the bottom side.

Charlton are still in a fierce battle to stay up, though, sitting one point above the drop zone with five game remaining, and goals continue to be a problem for the division's poorest attack.

The Londoners are still feeling the effects of losing top marksman Yann Kermorgant in January, failing to score in eight of their last 12 games. During that period, when they have scored, they have won.

Brighton have also found goals harder to come by this season and are the least prolific side in the top half of the table, although that has not stopped them from being within two points of the playoffs.

In Leonardo Ulloa, though, they have one of the best strikers in the league when provided with the service, and the Argentine, who bagged twice against Leicester and earlier in the campaign in a losing cause against Charlton, should spearhead the Seagulls' front three this weekend.

Oscar Garcia is likely to stick with the same side that were convincing victors on Tuesday, with Andrew Crofts out for the rest of the season after rupturing cruciate knee ligaments in January.

In his absence, Dale Stephens will face the Addicks for the first time since leaving them for Brighton in January. Craig McKail-Smith faces a late fitness test to decide whether he could be on the bench.

The visitors have two notable injury casualties in defence, with Leon Cort and Chris Solly missing. Highly-rated teenager Diego Poyet, son of Sunderland manager Gus, is expected to start in midfield.

Recent form

Brighton: WDDLLL

Charlton: WLWLWL

Possible starting lineups

Brighton: Kuszczak; Calderon, Upson, Greer, Ward; March, Andrews, Stephens; Lingard, Ulloa, Lua-Lua

Charlton: Hamer; Wilson, Morrison, Dervitte, Wood; Ghoochanneijhad, Cousins, Poyet, Jackson, Ajdarevic; Sordell

Sports Mole says: 1-0


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Joe Fish
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Jamie Paterson of Nottingham Forest celebrates scoring the equalising goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday at City Ground on April 8, 2014
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