DARREN Freeman has written himself into the record books and made it a Happy New Year for Albion fans.

Freeman fired the first goal of the Millennium in yesterday's 4-2 victory against Exeter at Withdean.

He celebrated his second minute volley by raising his shirt to reveal a message to Seagulls supporters.

"I told my girlfriend Lorraine I was going to score the first goal,"

Freeman explained. "I grabbed an old T-shirt and wrote Happy New Year on it with a big black marker.

"I went into the toilets to put the T-shirt on. I didn't want any of the lads to see it, because they would have abused me!

"I was delighted when the ball went in, so I just lifted my shirt up and wished all the crowd a Happy New Year.

"To get any goal is satisfying, yet alone the first one of the Millennium. That makes it a bit more special."

Freeman receives an award from Football League sponsors Nationwide for his historic strike.

Assistant manager Alan Cork declared: "Brighton's golden boy has done it again! I expect he will be in the Guinness Book of Records now."

On-loan Italian Lorenzo Pinamonte broke his duck by scoring twice and captain Paul Rogers added his sixth of the season.

Cork said: "I have been calling Lorenzo barn door, because he hasn't threatened to score in training. I have been trying to explain to him what it means.

"He flicks balls on and he has got an excellent touch for such a big lad. Hopefully there are better things to come from him."

The result, hot on the heels of a four-point haul over Christmas against top two Rotherham and Barnet, was the perfect tonic for flu-hit manager Micky Adams and moved Albion up two places to 13th ahead of Saturday's trip to Rochdale.

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