Sam Baldock has highlighted why Albion were so keen to score an early goal against Derby.

Anthony Knockaert fired home in only the fifth minute as the Rams were swept aside 3-0.

Visiting boss Steve McClaren selected a surprising line-up and the Seagulls wanted to get ahead while their opponents were still settling.

Baldock, who added the second, and said: “It was a quick start, early goal and straight down to business.

“We know how much quality they have got but it was a different shape from them.

“We wanted to capitalise on their inexperience of playing that system from the start and we got the upper hand in the first half.

“We knew we could score goals and we felt fairly comfortable as well.”

Baldock felt Albion could have scored more than three.

He said: “I don't remember much about my goal but it was between Glenn (Murray) and two defenders and it just wriggled into No Man’s Land.

“I took it from them and slotted it in. That was pleasing, to get that two-goal cushion.

“In the end I don’t think three does us justice. It could have been more.”

Baldock now moves on to 11 in the league this season.

He said: “I was disappointed not to get on the scoresheet at Rotherham on Tuesday.

“Here I had to make the balance of scoring and looking for other people.

“I was pleased to get the goal but I thought we could have made more of the positions we got into.”