As Albion prepared for the second leg against Sheffield Wednesday at the Amex, Leonardo Ulloa was being interviewed on Leicester's Premier League victory parade bus.

What followed in a throbbing first half performance by the Seagulls merely emphasised what will surely be the summer priority for Chris Hughton in attempting to end the club's Championship promotion torture.

A marksman or two like Ulloa would have scored bundles of goals this season in Hughton's team, given the way they play and the number of chances they create.

In that opening 45 minutes, when the play-off semi-final against Wednesday was effectively won and lost, Albion had 17 shots, the most for any side in any Championship fixture throughout the campaign. They had only Lewis Dunk's goal to show for it.

Refereeing decisions have certainly cost Albion dear, the latest Gary Hooper's shove on Dunk when Ross Wallace equalised against the blue and white tide engulfing the visitors. So too has the modest ratio of chances converted by Albion's strike force.

Ulloa, when he first joined Albion under Gus Poyet, scored nine goals in 17 league games.

He bagged 14 in 33 outings in the inferior side under Oscar Garcia that squeezed into the top six.

Neither of those teams served up as many opportunities for a clinical finisher as Hughton's promotion near-missers.

Albion collectively scored 72 goals this season, the most in the Championship. Not enough of them came from the forwards.

There were 33 in total from an aggregate of 123 appearances between penalty-taker Tomer Hemed, Bobby Zamora, on-loan James Wilson and Sam Baldock.

Andre Gray scored 23 by himself for champions Burnley, 38 in 84 games combined with Sam Vokes.

Jordan Rhodes helped Middlesbrough over the line with six crucial contributions in 18 games following his January move from Blackburn.

Abel Hernandez hit 20 in 40 matches for Hull during the regular season.

Sheffield Wednesday are in the play-off final at Wembley at the end of the month primarily because of Fernando Forestieri and Gary Hooper, who between them have accumulated 22 goals in 53 games.

Albion would have romped to promotion with a Gray, Rhodes or Hernandez in their ranks.

It was not for the want of trying. In January they tried again to land Argentinian Jonathan Calleri from Boca Juniors.

Closer to home, the intransigence of Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe thwarted attempts to bring Glenn Murray back to the club.

Investment went profitably instead into width in the form of Anthony Knockaert and Jiri Skalak, both of whom have provided goals and assists with the promise of plenty more to come.

Of all the injury problems suffered throughout the season, the most damaging - and most unfortunately timed - was the declining influence of Zamora.

Up until the end of January he had demonstrated, even at the age of 35 and with limited game time, what a high-quality striker could add to this Albion side.

All seven of Zamora's goals, the majority of which helped to secure narrow wins, came in that period.

From February onwards, Zamora made only four more appearances, the last as a substitute in the 0-0 draw against Wednesday in early March. What a difference he might have made, from the start or from the bench, on Monday evening.

Albion may yet be able to replace him with Murray next season as the search continues for a more lethal strike force.

Ross McCormack, wasted at Fulham, is a Championship goal machine. Jonathan Kodjia, formerly on Albion's radar, scored 19 goals for Bristol City, Nahki Wells 17 for Huddersfield.

The Seagulls were priced out of a loan move for Matej Vydra, who flopped at Reading but might rediscover his mojo at the Amex.

Hughton and his recruitment team, led by Paul Winstanley, will be hunting far and wide, above and below the Championship and abroad as well.

There are other issues to address - keeping hold of Dale Stephens, adding another central midfielder and central defender - but it is in the final third of the pitch where the difference will be made.

Where converting a few of the 17 draws Albion had this season into wins will be the difference between more promotion pain or taking the step they deserved to make.