For a few seconds there was a deathly silence. Reality sank in. The dream had died. Albion were going down.

Then a murmur from the sea of blue and white in the south stand behind Dave Beasant's goal. At first indistinguishable, then a few strands and then a chorus.

"We'll support you evermore," they roared.

The Seagulls may be down but they are not out.

Not for the first time and not for the last, Albion fans had been through a multitude of emotions in the space of 90 minutes.

It had begun for most supporters at 5.30am while the rest of Sussex was sleeping. It ended in bitter, if not unexpected, disappointment.

A win for Stoke at home to Reading had made the outcome of Albion's big day at Grimsby immaterial. What a day, though!

The newsagents' billboard outside the grounds warned of an invasion and it was right as Skint shirts filled the streets around the ground and the Leaking Boot pub became a home from home.

There were blue and white wigs, jester hats, face paint and one fan had The Argus prayer mat pinned to the back of his shirt.

The fancy dress brigade did not disappoint with Ali G, Austin Powers, Batman, Catwoman and a couple of nuns praying for an Albion victory.

It was, perhaps, not the mass exodus from the county as seen in 1983 and 1991. The ticket allocation would not allow that.

But 2,500 fans seemed like 25,000 as the Seagulls, one by one, emerged from the tunnel for the pre-match warm-up. First Danny Cullip, then Paul Rogers, cheers greeting them all.

Hereford it was not. This was not a matter of life or death, League or non-League. That prospect had faced Exeter and Swansea the day before.

But the tension was immense as Albion supporters braced themselves for a rollercoaster ride.

1.27: The players emerge from the tunnel to chants of "we are staying up" while the pitch is flooded with balloons and tickertape.

1.52: The singing Seagulls are silenced when Michael Keane does his bit to spoil the party by converting a penalty.

2.18: Gary Hart is sent tumbling and Bobby Zamora's spot kick cranks up the volume behind the goal. Now it is game on.

2.37: Captain Courageous Danny Cullip puts Albion ahead and there is real hope of beating the drop.

2.43: News filters through that Stoke have scored against Reading.

2.49: A second nail in the coffin as Keane's volley is turned in by Richard Hughes.

3.23: It's all over and Albion fans run on to the pitch to show their support for the players.

Thirty one games earlier, with four points on the board from 14 games, Albion would have grabbed a last day chance of survival.

The fact that Steve Coppel and his players had gone so close to staying up should be seen as an achievement rather than a failure.

Where there's life, there's hope or should it be where there's Coppell, there's hope?

Getting Albion's manager to commit his future to the club is vital, as well as being the key to holding the current squad together.

They say two steps forward and one step back and the old adage may be right. Albion fans would certainly settle for another two steps forward and one back in the next few seasons!

Six years ago Albion were wondering if they had a future at all. Since then, there have been two championships and a season in the First Division so there should be no complaints.

The supporters have played the leading role in raising Albion from the depths of despair, in keeping the club alive during those wilderness years at Gillingham, in securing a temporary home at Withdean and in pushing on for Falmer.

Obviously, Dick Knight's contribution should never be under estimated but the fans are the basis of any club.

Albion might not feel like winners this morning but with the support shown at Blundell Park the future has to be extremely bright.

Match report: thisisthealbion.co.uk