Albion beat Reading before a large crowd in the promotion race – with a big helping hand from their Newcastle United connection.

But their bid to go up from the third tier in 1969-70 then collapsed dramatically with a run of four defeats in five games from Easter Saturday.

Alan Duffy, a teenage striker picked up from Newcastle for £10,000, scored both goals as Albion beat Reading 2-1 at the Goldstone on Good Friday.

The Argus:

But goalkeeper Brian Powney, above, suffered an injury that ruled him out of the away game at Halifax the following afternoon.

Defeat at The Shay saw the skids go under Albion’s bid for a top-two finish.

Duffy’s goals against the Biscuitmen, as Reading were known, stood despite strong claims for handball and offside. The visitors levelled through Bobby Williams at one stage in the second half.

Ironically, Duffy, pictured, had a seemingly good goal ruled out late on.

Powney, the Albion keeper who now lives in Seaford, said: “Alan was hit and miss, a bit madcap.

“He had a lot of talent and, had he applied himself, he would have had a longer career. He was a good player but not such a good pro.”

Powney still remembers an infamous game at the Goldstone when, as Kit Napier steadied himself to take a penalty, Duffy ran up and smashed the spot-kick against the bar and over.

The Argus:

Brian Powney with fellow ex-Albion goalkeeper Graham Moseley at the Amex on Monday

He said: “The manager went mad at him afterwards.”

Powney vividly remembers the Good Friday win over Reading before a bumper crowd of 32,036.

He dislocated his finger in making a save and was replaced for the Halifax trip by Geoff Sidebottom.

“I went down at somebody’s feet as he shot the ball. The ball ricocheted off my hand and over the bar.

“I was caught by the follow through and the physio Mike Yaxley had to put the finger back in there and then.

“I put ice on it after the game but there was no way I could play the next day. I strapped it up and played at Fulham on Easter Monday.”

Albion old boy Jack Mansell was in charge of Reading and met Powney outside the Goldstone after the game.

Powney recalled: “Our manager Freddie Goodwin had left me out of the side earlier in the season and I’d been having a bit of a hard time.

“Jack grabbed me, complimented me on my performance and said, ‘You’ll never get away from here playing like that!’ “Jack managed Eastbourne United before he went into the pro game and he also used to coach coaches for the FA.”

Powney was among the former Albion players who enjoyed festivities at the Amex and Theatre Royal on Monday as the 20th anniversary of leaving the Goldstone was celebrated.

He said: “It was a great do. I thought Peter Brackley was unbelievable.”

Albion: Powney, Henderson, Bell, Lawton, J.Napier, Gall, Spearritt, Duffy, Gilliver, Smith, K.Napier. Sub: Stanley.