Alious
Brighton’s rising star Jack Hinshelwood has opened up about his standout performance in their dominant 4-1 win over Tottenham, addressing both his match-winning brace and the late-game moment that denied him a hat-trick.
The 20-year-old academy graduate stepped up in a more advanced role due to the absence of Danny Welbeck and seized the opportunity in style. Hinshelwood netted twice to help Brighton recover from an early setback—Dominic Solanke’s converted penalty—to secure an emphatic comeback in North London. The victory sealed the Seagulls’ second-best Premier League finish ever—eighth place—though it wasn’t enough to secure European qualification.
Late in the match, Brighton were awarded a penalty after Yves Bissouma fouled Diego Gomez inside the box. Fans in the away end chanted for Hinshelwood to take the spot-kick and complete his first professional hat-trick. But despite his desire to step up, the youngster deferred to designated taker Matt O’Riley, who calmly converted to cap the victory.
Speaking after the match, Hinshelwood said:
> “I did want it. I missed my last penalty in the FA Cup against Forest, but of course I wanted the hat-trick. That said, the team always comes first. Matt is our penalty taker, he was confident, and the main thing was finishing the season with a win. If I’d taken it and missed, it would’ve been a different story. Maybe I would’ve missed again—I’m joking!”
Hinshelwood’s second goal—a clever back-heel finish—had fans and pundits raving, as he followed up last week’s winner against Liverpool with another clinical display. When praised for his finishing instincts, he humbly credited positioning and a bit of fortune:
> “I guess I do have a bit of a knack. I try to be in the right place at the right time. Luckily, the ball dropped for me twice today and I managed to turn them goalwards. The back-heel just came from instinct—awkward height, so I got whatever I could on it, and seeing it roll in was a relief.”
Although not a natural striker, Hinshelwood was happy to adapt for the team:
> “With Danny out, I played more like a forward in the first half. It’s not my natural role, but I’ll give everything in any position. Danny’s been huge for us this season, and I just wanted to contribute.”
Following the game, manager Fabian Hürzeler praised the squad and told players to hold their heads high despite missing out on European football. Hinshelwood echoed those sentiments:
> “He told us to have no regrets. We left it all out there. Sure, we dropped points at times and could’ve ended with more, but it’s all part of the process. If we keep growing like this, next season will be really exciting.”
Reflecting on his connection with Brighton’s fanbase, Hinshelwood added:
> “I relate to them—I was one of them. I know what they want to see from us: effort, passion, commitment. I may not have the same flair as guys like Mitoma or Joao Pedro, but I’ll always give 100%, and fans can count on that.”
Brighton’s win over Tottenham may have fallen short of securing European competition, but the emergence of young talents like Hinshelwood gives every reason for supporters to be optimistic about the club’s future.
Alious
