Glenn Murray struck twice and Anthony Knockaert scored a hugely emotional goal as Albion shone tonight.
They saw off Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Amex but the evening ended with concern as David Stockdale limped off with a shin injury in added time.
The goalkeeper went down after colliding with Gaetan Bong as he caught a cross. It was only sour note on a fine evening for the Seagulls.
Oliver Burke, who had an excellent first half, angled a shot just wide for Forest before Albion took charge.
Knockaert swept them in front on 36 minutes (pictured below) from Gaetan Bong’s cross.
He then looked to the sky and wept as he marked a goal scored on what would have been the birthday of his late brother.
Bruno fired a great chance for a second into the side-netting in first-half added time.
But Murray extended the lead on 68 minutes from close range after Jiri Skalak’s deep free-kick had been headed back across goal by Tomer Hemed.
Substitute Sam Baldock cut the ball back for Murray to guide home the third on 82 minutes at the end of a scintillating attack involving Knockaert.
Albion completed a third clean sheet out of three in the season’s opening week with Dunk in goal as Stockdale headed to the changing room for treatment.
Albion (4-4-2): Stockdale; Rosenior, Bruno, Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Kayal (Stephens 75), Sidwell, Skalak (Norwood 83); Hemed (Baldock 75), Murray. Subs not used: Maenpaa, White, Murphy, LuaLua.
Goals: Knockaert 36, Murray 68, 82.
Yellow card: Bong (43) foul; Hemed (57) foul, Baldock (88) delaying free-kick.
Nottingham Forest (4-1-4-1): Henderson; Pereira, Perquis, Mancienne, Iacovitti (Paterson 74); Lansbury; Burke (Vellios 78), Kasami, Ward (Traore 62), Osborn; Veldwijk. Subs not used: Smith, Vaughan, Lichaj, Cash.
Yellow card: Kasami (45) foul, Iacovitti (59) foul, Burke (67) not retreating, Pereira (73) foul, Lansbury (90+1) foul.
Ref: Andy Madley (Huddersfield).
Attendance: 25,748 (1,235 away).
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel