Albion

Fabian Hurzeler’s side had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Jablonec in the Conference League.

They had plenty of the ball but struggled to break down a home side defending in a low block.

And they might even have been further stunned on a couple of second-half counter-attacks.

It was not the way in which the Seagulls would have wanted to start a run of five away games which sends them to Liverpool on Sunday.

More than 1,000 away fans had three-quarters of one end of the Stadion Strelnice and a long distance view of the moment in which their team might have taken the lead inside two minutes.

After some nice passing, Jack Hinshelwood drilled a low shot which forced home goalkeeper Jan Hanus into a sharp parry low to his right – and he had a bit of luck with where the rebound fell.

That was arguably Albion’s best effort of the whole contest.

Hanus later saved low to his right from Georginio Rutter, who also shot wide after some strong work.

But Jablonec might have made the breakthrough on a rare attack when Antonin Rusek headed wide from a corner.

Albion had most of the attacking play in the second period with Rutter busy.

But they could not find a way through and Jablonec were increasingly dangerous.

Bart Verbruggen tipped over from Jiri Slama and blocked from Vakhtang Tchanturishvili before Martin Cedidla shot wide.

Albion made a quadruple switch midway through the second half but could not find a way through.

And they knew it would be just a point when the diving Hanus parried from Rutter in added time.

Albion: Verbruggen; Costinha; Svoboda, Boscagli (Vuskovic 68), Hadjam (Kadioglu 86); Yalcouye, Gross (Chema 68); O’Riley (David 68), Hinshelwood (Ayari 68), Osman; Rutter. Subs not used: McGill, Hall, Dunk, Kostoulas, Nti, Ibrahim, Oriola.