A  VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

"And I repent my fault....."

Football League Championship

20th April 2013

Brighton and Hove Albion (3) 6
Buckley 8
Upson 22
Orlandi 44
Lopez 45
Barnes 75 and 89

Blackpool (0) 1
Hammond og 52

Attendance: 28,499

Does Buckley remember his 8th minute wonder strike to open the scoring? Moments before he had been flattened as his head blocked a powerfully struck free kick. He staggered around looking dazed when Barnes laid off a quick clearance leaving Will a free run on goal and from the edge of the penalty area he bent a wonderful left foot shot around Matt Gilks' despairing drive. Surely the Bend It Like Buckley movie will follow!

Any plans the visitors may have had to play it tight, defend in depth and try to hit the Albion on the break went out the window. An early goal had set the match up for a masterclass in

They will have much to write about this day

Gus play. Forced to find an equalizer and press forward allowed the home team to revel in the space and hit 2 further first half goals and another 3 in the second. It could have been 10.

Blackpool are no mugs. They have several players with Premiership experience and in Tom Ince one of the up and coming talents. They also have several physically strong defenders but they crucially lacked the pace of their Leicester City counterparts and were run ragged by Barnes, Buckley and Orlandi and David attacking from midfield.  When Buckley ran out of puff LuaLua joined in the fun.

Orlandi made the second goal and scored the third. In the 22nd minute he put over a centre from the left which Hammond headed back across the goal for Upson to steer in his first for the club. Just before half time Orlandi exchanged passes with David and advanced in the penalty area to arrow the ball past Gilks with the outside of his left foot.

Gilks spent much of the first half berating his defenders who were always in the wrong place at the wrong time for his liking.

The second half opened with the Albion attacking straight down the middle. David exchanged passes with Barnes and when the ball came across the penalty area he drove it into the roof of the net via a deflection.

After that it became the Ashley Barnes show. Having made goals for Buckley and David he was on hand to turn in a LuaLua cross from the left, followed in the last minute by doing likewise from the right, this time via an Orlandi centre.

At 4-0 Hammond decided to give Blackpool a consolation by heading past Kuszczak from a Tom Ince centre. He beat the turf in frustration as he was clearly trying to defend the ball for a corner.

Kusczak departed shortly after following a clash of heads with Blackpool substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher who himself was substituted suffering with double vision a few minutes later.

Ankergen was rarely bothered being forced to break sweat just once when he dived on a ball bouncing in the penalty area.

Vicente's and Ulloa's attacking talents remained on the bench un-needed on a day to remember at the Amex.

In describing the goals it is easy to forget how masterful the Albion's display was. Several times this season they have threatened to take a visiting team

All is forgiven

apart and it was Blackpool's misfortune to be the victims. The Albion were equally as good against Bolton but this time the chances went in. The 90 minutes were a treasured combination of team organisation and individual talent. Nobody had an off day.

Some of us took a deep breath when we heard that Barnes was starting but his display brought a whole new meaning to the word "redemption". He kept well out of the referee's way, made 2 and scored 2 and generally gave Kirk Broadfoot an afternoon to forget.

David Lopez showed us his range of passing skills and Orlandi seems to have found a new lease of life with a goal and 2 assists.

Bridge rampaged down the wing in the first half but made way for Bruno in the second. It was good to see him back. Suddenly the Albion look very strong with plenty of cover and options on the bench.

7 games without defeat and 9 at home. The Seagulls clearly have momentum and are now just 3 points away from securing the words, like Pike, we are not allowed to mention. 

MAGIC MOMENT: LuaLua made life hell for the right of Blackpool's defence so they decided to have him marked by 3 players. As number three arrived he simply drove past them all at

Did Gus say "No pace at the back"?

great pace and tested Gilks with a low drive.

REF WATCH: Avoided contact with Barnes. Greer booking looked a bit harsh early on and Tom Ince was fortunate to escape with only a booking for a frustrated hack at Bridcutt late on. Took pity on Blackpool with only 3 minutes of added time despite 6 substitutions and a long delay when Kuszcak was injured.

ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: Quite rightly the match sponsor gave the main award to Ashley Barnes so my personal alternative goes to Matthew Upson. He has become Mr. Consistent in the back line and just 3 defeats in 16 games has much to do with him. Crucially he never wastes a ball when moving forward and avoids the pointless passing between central defenders. His is extremely calm under pressure and has been a good influence on Gordon Greer.