The problems for one Brighton player all started in the dressing room at half time when McGhee was having a go at some of them after a poor first half display that had seen them go in behind to an Ade Akinbiyi goal.
“At half time I told the players I was disappointed with a number of the individual performances in the first half,” said McGhee. “With one exception the players accepted that criticism and went out and put things right in the second half. However, Mark McCammon didn’t agree with what I said to him at half time, and therefore I substituted him.
“I wasn’t happy with his attitude. After the match I told him I didn’t want him travelling back on the team bus with the rest of us and that he was to return home with two other members of staff in another club vehicle. However, Mark declined and chose to make his own way home.”
Looking at the match McGhee said, “All of the preparation that we have put into the game would have meant that it would have been a shame had we lost a game like this. We conceded a poor goal really and to get a point is important, the second half performance is a totally positive thing as we approach the final three games.
“We have proven to ourselves again that we can play. It wasn’t just a battling performance in the second half, our passing and our composure were back in the game. The movement and the tempo were also back in our game and we have got to somehow capture that for the start of the game against West Ham.”
McGhee maintained that another four points, taking them to 50, would be enough to ensure his side’s Championship status for another season.
Again Steve Cotterill was far from happy with the performance, particularly in the second half as we lost the lead and had to settle for a point.
“We’re disappointed with that really, especially our second half performance,” he admitted after the game. “Obviously a certain amount of credit has to go to
“In the first half though, we could so easily have gone in 5-0 up. Ade had a good chance and on another day with longer studs he might have got that. Graham Branch has had a header and a shot and then Tony Grant’s volley has hit the side netting.
“But they came out and had a right go but the game could have been over by half time if we had been a bit more ruthless. From out own point of view there isn’t too much to talk about in the second half, but maybe we finished the game stronger than them.
“We are disappointed that we haven’t won the game today though, on account of our first half performance. Our chances were more clear cut in the first half than their’s were in the second half.”