A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

SkyBET Championship

12th April 2014

Brighton and Hove Albion (2)3
Lingard 11
Ulloa 43
Forster-Caskey 90

Charlton Athletic (0)0

Attendance: 28,770
League Position: 6th

The Albion have struggled to see off the Championship's lower teams at the Amex this season but not yesterday as a confident display saw the Seagulls into a play off spot and left Charlton still worrying about relegation. 

With Lingard and LuaLua playing in the front three the Albion have the much needed attacking pace that has been lacking this season.

Charlton defend a free kick

The pair terrorised the visitor's defence in the first half with both goals coming as a result of their speed and direct approach. 

After 11 minutes LuaLua dispossessed Poyet, Lingard picked up the loose ball, ran straight at the Charlton defence and showed great skill to steer the ball wide of Hamer. Shortly afterwards LuaLua nearly scored his first of the season as the visitor's defence retreated in front of him but the shot was well saved by Hamer.

The game went beyond Charlton in the few seconds just before half time. On one of few visits to the Albion penalty area a Sordell shot took a massive deflection off Greer and a bemused Ankergren could only turn and watch the ball rattle the cross bar. Upson thumped the ball down the pitch where it found its way to Lingard who drifted past a couple of challenges, fed Ulloa who drove the ball beyond Hamer. 

Ulloa chose substitute Calderon to celebrate the goal with. Was that perhaps a hint about a new contract next season for the popular Spaniard? He could count himself unlucky to be the only player dropped after the midweek victory at Leicester.

Given Oscar's Spanish credentials the Albion were never going to go for high scoring glory in the second half. There was a lot of possession play leaving the Charlton players to huff and puff to no particular effect. The best chance fell to Lingard whose pace once again took him beyond the defence but he placed the  ball over the bar when clean through on goal. He brought a fine diving save from Hamer at a free

Remember me?

kick and from the resulting corner March had Hamer back peddling to flip the ball over the bar. 

There was ironic cheering from the visiting supporters when Charlton managed to force a corner and again when a passing movement from deep in Brighton's half ended up back with Hamer. 

As always there is still room for improvement as the Albion sometimes gave the ball away when not under pressure which would have been punished  by more proficient opponents. March struggled to pick up his game twice in a week but that will come with time. 

The final goal came deep into added time when Rodriguez played the ball back to Ward and his pass forward was headed back to Forster-Caskey who advanced to the edge of the penalty area where he placed the ball wide of the diving Hamer at his near post. 

The cherry on the cake would have a little cameo from CMS. He ran up and down the line a lot to remind Oscar but it was not to be as it was Spanish Rod who got final sub nod.

Ankergen, on what might have been his final Amex appearance, could not have asked for a quieter afternoon only slightly blotting his

Buckley gets performance of the month

copybook once with a spilled cross which was cleared by the defence. 

Overall the back four were outstanding, although rarely placed under pressure, and Stephens and Andrews dominated midfield and the pace of Lingard and LuaLua complementing Ulloa upfront. 

So the Albion are into the play off positions and, if Leicester can maintain their record of gifts to the Albion at Reading on Monday night, the Seagulls' place in the post season lottery will, for the first time this season, be in their own hands. 

After 42 games last season the Albion were 5th with 65 points and this year they are 6th with 64 points. Not bad considering the pre-season turmoil and the long injury list.

TREATMENT ROOM REVOLVING DOOR: Buckley and Orlandi now with full non-time limited membership, Crofts long term but time limited membership but otherwise room appears to have been cleared apart from the bug struck Kuszczak.

MAGIC MOMENT: Almost any time Lingard got the ball.

REF WATCH: Did we have one today? The best type.

MANAGER WATCH: An aggressive flick of the wrist by Oscar every time a player's technical ability let him down. They may not have much of a team but Charlton's manager had a finely cut grey suit which made Oscar look positively scruffy.

ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: Has to be Lingard with a goal and an assist and being at the heart of much of what was good about

the Albion going forward. An honourable mention for Stephens - is he the new Brian Horton?