Alan Navarro has a very honest confession to make about his match-winning cross against Sunderland.

He admits he did not know Craig Mackail-Smith, who headed home to see off Sunderland, was there.

But that should not detract from one of the best storylines of a special night at The Amex.

Navarro, best known as a deep-lying midfielder, found himself well forward six minutes into extra-time after swapping passes with Craig Noone.

He might not have known where Mackail-Smith was. But he knew exactly where the ball should go and where a good striker might be lurking.

The Albion No.12 did not let him down with the finish.

“I found myself in a position I haven’t found myself in for a while,” admitted Navarro.

“I played the ball in to Nooney and I thought there was a gap for him to play me back in.

“I made the run and he found that pass for me.

“It’s only a good ball in because Macca made it a good ball by getting on the end of it.

“I didn’t see him but I played it into a good area and he has made it into a great ball with his header.”

Navarro’s inclusion was perhaps a surprise. His inclusion in the same XI as Liam Bridcutt was even more eye-catching.

But it worked as the pair held the fort and watched Noone and Ryan Harley create ahead of them in what was arguably a 4-2-2-2 formation.

Navarro, whose 2010-11 season was wrecked by a cruciate ligament injury suffered in the Carling Cup, said: “Both of us were in there to do a job.

“We had to stop them playing but also help the back four.

“We were looking after anyone between the halfway line and the edge of the penalty area, whoever was furthest forward.

“Mainly Liam was the deeper one but I found myself in there sometimes when Liam was slightly forward.

“I think the pair of us have a good understanding that if one goes slightly forward the other can sit in. I thought it worked quite well.”

Navarro looked more comfortable starting a game than coming on for the closing minutes.

His passing was crisp, confident and accurate from the start and he got in some key interceptions and challenges in his own half.

Had he had a spare few seconds, he might also have reflected that it was a bit special to be doing all that under lights at The Amex, the stadium he watched grow almost on a daily basis while driving past en route to lonely rehab sessions at the gym nearby.

“It was a very frustrating year, coming past this place and going to the health and racquets club, using it day in and day out and thinking ‘am I going to get a chance to play there?’ he said.

“At the moment I’m very happy and hopefully I get a few more chances but we’ll see.

“When the gaffer wants to use me I’m here. I’m here for the team.

“This sounds mad but I’m still proving myself.

“The gaffer has given me that chance and I’ll grab it with two hands. I’ve got to prove in training and with my little cameo roles or in games now and then what I can do.”

Navarro was not surprised Albion beat Sunderland while remaining loyal to their footballing values.

He said: “As long as we play our football we know we can compete with teams.

“The lads showed it against Championship teams when we were in League One.

“We’ve played against teams like Tottenham and Paris St-Germain and proved we can hold our own with them. We were disappointed to come away with the draw against Blackpool but we went 2-0 up against an ex-Premier League team and showed our quality.

“We’re not always going to get things our own way.

“We pushed our luck against Portsmouth.

“We’ll bounce back. It wasn’t a bad result all in all last Saturday and the gaffer said to us he would have taken ten points from the first four games. We’re in a great position.”