The Football League Paper

THE SEAGULLS SOAR INTO ROUND FOUR

Boss Hughton rings changes in win

- By Graham Otway

IN HIS programme notes Brighton manager Chris Hughton did his best to justify the wholesale changes he made to his team for the FA Cup visit to the Amex Stadium of struggling League One outfit MK Dons. He knew he was going to raise more than just a few eyebrows when he sidelined all 11 players who started the year with a 2-1 victory at Fulham to strengthen the Seagulls’ Premier League promotion hopes. Hughton explained that decision with the words that he was “giving players the opportunit­y to challenge for the next starting line up”. On paper it was a reasonable explainati­on, but it created the suspicion that the current Championsh­ip leaders had only one serious priority and that did not involve any pursuit of a place in this season’s Emirates FA Cup final. However, that remains a possibilit­y because Hughton’s team of reserves pulled off a two-goal win, although the scoreline did not reflect the large number of chances that MK Dons created but failed to convert. And the chief culprit for that failure

 ??  ?? EYES ON THE PRIZE: Ed Upson and Steve Sidwell battle for possession
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Ed Upson and Steve Sidwell battle for possession
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