Reds lost 3-0 to Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion in a 60-minute friendly played at the Seagulls’ training base on Friday morning.
The first-half line up contained new signing Romain Vincelot as well as trialists Rob Milson and former Hearts wide man Andy Driver. Five more trialists appeared in the second half while Filipe Morais worked with the club’s fitness staff on an adjacent pitch.
Reds started well. Panutche Camara almost got a decisive touch to Lewis Young’s cross after Young had burst down the left before Driver latched onto Josh Doherty’s pass and broke into the box, forcing Albion goalkeeper Hugo Kato into a smart save.
At the other end Tomer Hemed’s deflected shot was held by Glenn Morris and Doherty made a good block when Richie Towell threatened before Camara wasted a great chance in the 12th minute. Grego-Cox found him unmarked ten yards out with only the keeper to beat but he blazed high and wide of the target.
Brighton then had a good spell and Lewis Dunk’s header from a free kick by Markus Suttner hit the underside of the bar before George Francomb cleared Suttner’s low drive from the left away from danger in the six-yard box.
The Premier League side’s pressure told in the 26th minute when Morris was beaten by a 20-yard strike from Bernardo which took a deflection on its way past Morris into the top corner.
Brighton doubled their advantage six minutes after the break when Davy Propper’s clever pass found Hemed in space and his right-foot finish from ten yards gave Yusuf Mersin no chance.
Palmer forced Keto into a save from a free kick 25 yards out which Dominic Poleon had won before the Seagulls extended their lead with a superb goal in the 48th minute. Bruno produced an excellent cross from the right which Suttner expertly volleyed past Mersin from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box.
Mersin got down well to push away Hemed’s shot in the closing stages on what was another useful workout for Reds, who are back in action again on Saturday against League One Charlton at East Grinstead Town FC, kick off 3pm.
Reds (first half): Morris; Francomb, Vincelot, McNerney, Doherty; Young, Payne, Milsom (trialist), Driver (trialist); Grego-Cox, Camara.
Second half: Mersin, Connolly, Turley (trialist), Young (trialist), Sesay (trialist), Whelpdale (trialist), Bulman, Randall, Tarran (trialist), Poleon, Palmer.
