A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

"Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey cock"

Football League Championship

2nd March 2013

Brighton and Hove Albion (1)4
Ulloa 20, 76, 78
David Lopez 81 pen

Huddersfield Town (1)1
Vaughan 42

Attendance: 25,831

In Canada a double double is a Tim Horton's coffee with double cream (milk to you and I) and double sugar. Across the Atlantic at the Amex it is back to back home wins delivering a double double over Burnley and Huddersfield Town.

If anybody doubted the Albion's credentials when it comes to pushing for a play off place this game dispelled them. For long periods they were quite imperious and while Huddersfield huffed and puffed the Albion played with flair and imagination.

The new seats in the north west corner receive their first guests

For their part Huddersfield turned up with a not unfamiliar game plan. Get everybody behind the ball, defend in depth, try to hit the Albion on the break, stay in the ref's ear and rough the Albion up a little.

Huddersfield won the booking count 4-0; their only victory of the day. Early on they decided to commit fouls near the half way line where the ref was unlikely to book the culprit. Vaughan had several lunges at the Pole in goal before he eventually was booked but the biggest sinner was Neil Danns who avoided the most obvious sending off I have ever seen. Danns, with leg off the ground, put his studs into Hammond's shin. To his credit Hammond did not make a fuss and that may have saved Danns. It was one of worst tackles I have seen go unpunished by a sending off. I wonder what Barnes thought given the tackle he was despatched for at Sheffield Wednesday? Inevitably it was a Danns' header across the box that lead to Huddersfield's equaliser.

Huddersfield forced a couple of corners early on but the Seagulls came more into the game with David Lopez and Hammond controlling midfield and Buckley causing havoc down the wing.

From a David Lopez corner a Buckley blaster was deflected out to Hammond who moved the ball on to Orlandi who found space for a fine cross which Ulloa headed in at the near post for the first.

Shortly aftwards a quick David Lopez free kick found Orlandi unmarked just outside the area and he lifted the ball towards the roof of the net. However, Orlandi's north end jinx continues as Smithies stuck out a hand and somehow diverted the ball wide. 

Against the run of play the visitors equalised just before half time. From a throw in conceded when an Albion corner routine broke down the ball was centred for a bit of head tennis and a rather acrobatic overhead kick from Vaughan. Huddersfield were not the first Amex visitors to score with their first on target attempt.

So that's where the cameras hide

As the second half progressed so the Albion became more dominant. 2 drives, one from David Lopez, were kicked off the line and  Barnes headed over when well placed. Orlandi shaved the post with a shot on the turn. But Spanish craft was to deliver. The Albion's first goal was made in Spain and so was the second. This time a David Lopez corner was headed powerfully past Smithies by Ulloa. Huddersfield protested the corner should not have been awarded but to no avail.

2 minutes later the visitors lost possession trying to build an attack and Calderon released Ulloa down the left. He drifted past his marker, went round Smithies and tapped the ball into the back of the net for his first hat trick in English football. At last the ghost of Murray is buried!

If the first 3 goals were Spanish affairs the fourth had a made in the UK feel about it. Barnes won possession near the half way line and was caught off the ball for his troubles. He had already played the ball forward to Mackail-Smith who was clipped from behind just inside the penalty area. David Lopez dispatched the penalty with the aplomb we have come to expect. 

So a notable day was concluded. The first time the Albion had scored 4 since returning to the Championship, the biggest win of the season, the second home and away double and a genuine hat trick was scored. The Albion finished the game with 2 double barrelled named players on pitch - now that does not happen very often. The victory was achieved without 3 of the side's most influential players - Bridge, Bridcutt and Vicente.

The Albion now face 3 daunting road trips but Bricutt will be back along with Bridge and Vicente and confidence will be sky high.

Town must have wished they had stayed on the coach

In my opinion the Albion are a much better side with Upson at the back. Apart from his obvious defensive qualities he does not indulge in the sometimes fruitless passing across and  back and across that Greer and El Abd indulge in. Instead he usually moves forward and is able to find a colleague so good is his distribution.

I thought that Dicker's substitution by Barnes does not bode well for his contract chances at season end. Sadly he gave the ball away a few times in midfield. 

REF WATCH: Made a major error in not sending Danns off. Did not crack down early enough on the visitors' persistent foul play but eventually lost patience and booked four. 

MAGIC MOMENT: The crowd chanting ola! ola! ola! when the Albion played keep ball towards the end. 

MY PERSONAL ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: For once the game sponsor got the main award right - how can you not make a hat trick hero man of the match? However, my eye caught David Lopez. He is fast becoming indispensable and not just for penalty conversions. Yesterday he was all over the field - right back, right wing, central and right side midfield as the Albion moved players around. His corner delivered the second goal, had a shot cleared off the line, set up the Orlandi chance in the first half and converted the penalty. His range of passing is quite outstanding.