Albion fans have put the hate behind them in their support of big-hearted Maty Ryan.

The away contingent at Goodison Park changed the words to a popular song as Ryan did his bit for club and country.

Ryan pledged 500 Australian dollars (about £265) for every save made by a Premier League keeper over the weekend.

In total, 56 saves were made, with Ryan's tally of five beaten only by Kasper Schmeichel of Leicester (seven).

The money, which works out at £14,900, goes to those affected by bushfires back home, be they human or animal.

So Albion supporters ditched the usual chorus of “Maty Ryan, Socceroo, he hates Palace” to a more cuddly “Maty Ryan, Socceroo, he loves koalas”.

With the exception of the right-handed Jordan Pickford stop which denied his side a point, Ryan was pleased to see the saves pile up and taken aback by support for his initiative.

When Ryan made two saves in a minute or so from Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the second half, for example, he kept his club in the contest and raised 1,000 Australian dollars for his charred country.

He said: “The country is hurting back home and I want to lend a helping hand to those who have been affected and try and influence some people along the way.

“An Australian network this week, Opta Sport, were donating 1,000 dollars per goal.

“I thought what better way to have something for us goalkeepers?

“I guess that will resonate with football fans out there and maybe influence them to jump on board and make a donation.

“We are trying to help re-build the country. It has been having a tough time and still is.

“Fingers crossed we can go a little way towards helping.

“Everybody you know seems to have a family member or friend who has a story about them having to escape or, with the big holidays back in Australia, have been affected with their journeys because of the fires.

“Fingers crossed my family and friends and those of others are staying safe and they can get control of them sooner rather than later and start the process of moving on from the devastation.

“Every donation helps, no matter how big or small or what it is – food, clothes, support, financial, whatever.

“It all goes a long way to helping.

“I have seen a number of nice comments by a lot of generous people out there who have jumped on and donated.

“Young kids have donated pocket money and their parents have got involved.

“It has been great to get a response like that.

“I thank them all and, us as a country, we thank them all for their generosity.”

Albion will be three points clear of 18th place when they take on an Aston Villa side who may well have Pepe Reina between the sticks as he completes his loan from Milan to replace injured Tom Heaton.

Once again the Seagulls are not making life comfortable for them.

Ryan said: “I am taking each week as it comes. It’s the ebbs and flows of the game.

“We are doing everything in our power to help Brighton be as successful as they can be.

“Nothing worth having comes easy.

“We have got to achieve these goals this year and it is going to take lots of grit and hard work.”