Lucas Digne might have denied Glenn Murray a shot at Albion’s goal of the season award.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh was suitably rewarded with that prestigious prize as the Seagulls staged a virtual awards presentation ceremony yesterday.

The one surprise was that his overhead kick against Chelsea ‘only’ took 62% of the votes.

A late contribution from Yves Bissouma, into the top corner at Burnley, secured him a place on the podium.

He was also shorlisted for the Premier League goal of the month prize for July.

Third spot went to perhaps the most important goal of the season, by Neal Maupay after an incisive four-man move to take the points at home to Arsenal.

Jahanbakhsh follows on from some special strikes in recent years by Anthony Knockaert, Steve Sidwell, Jiri Skalak and Jose Izquierdo.

Izquierdo said the goal he scored at Stoke in the 2017-18 season was better than that, just a week earlier, which was voted into top spot, his curler at home to West Ham.

That strike, to restore the lead in a 3-1 win over the Hammers, was, he said, Albion’s most important goal of the season as it kick-started a push away from danger.

But he preferred the team element of that “is it Brighton or Barcelona?” effort in the Potteries and felt it deserved first prize.

Maybe we should not be surprised at how the vote between those two Izquierdo specials went.

If you look at recent goals of the season, there was never a lot of build-up involved.

Yes, there was a sumptuous pass by Dale Stephens in last term’s winner, by Knockaert at Palace.

But they were generally about the (admittedly fabulous) finishes.

Stephens was also involved in what, with huge respect to the athletic talents and likeable nature of Jahanbakhsh, I would have loved to have seen eligible for the goal of the season prize this time.

That was the very late winner in the Falmer rain against Everton.

It would have been the ultimate team goal had Digne not stretched to put into his own net when Murray was poised for the far-post finish.

As team moves go, it is hard to recall anything better from the Seagulls.

Maybe the background scenario should not be taken into account. Just judge the goal in isolation.

But, in this case, it adds to the story.

Albion, looking to bounce back from the heartbreak of a 94th-minute defeat at Aston Villa the previous week, had drawn level at home to Everton.

The Toffees then tried to regain their lead and Maty Ryan caught the ball.

That will do. It’s a good point, a fortunate VAR-assisted point.

Hold the ball, Maty, wave your defenders forward and then thump it upfield to see out the draw.

Instead, in treacherous conditions and with Everton pressing, he rolled it out.

Steven Alzate was coming under pressure but his confident first touch and pass were key.

Leandro Trossard was involved and Dan Burn strode forward to play his part.

Crucially, Stephens gave the move forward momentum with one of his best passes of the season, angled through the now disorganised Toffees.

Burn got Trossard away to slide the ball across the face of the North Stand goal for MURRAYYYYYY!!!!!!

The Argus:

Well, no. Digne as it turned out. The diligent and slightly unfortunate Digne who, aware of Murray behind him, stretched and poked the ball into his own net.

Like it sometimes takes a very good batsman to get an edge to a delivery many would miss altogether, it took a good defender to be back there trying to rescue his team.

Murray wasn’t bothered. He ran away as if he himself had scored and joined the celebrations.

You can’t give goal of the season to an opponent, can you? Can you?

Well, it wouldn’t be very nice, although it is tempting to imagine the bemused reaction should the trophy be delivered to Merseyside.

Jahanbakhsh is a worthy, worthy winner.

He might have won it anyway.

But that third goal versus Everton was move of the season and one of the moments of the season. (And yes, made possible by a contentious VAR decision or two earlier on).

Individual goal of the season versus team goal of the season?

It would have been quite a contest.

Lea Le Garrec’s effort from outside the penalty area was voted as top women’s goal. The French playmaker scored via the underside of the bar when Birmingham City were beaten 3-0 at the Amex.

The Sarah Watts Inspiration Award goes to NHS and key workers in Sussex after their fantastic efforts over the last few months.

The Albion In The Community award winner was Mark Roddwell, who has overcome his own challenges and now inspires others do the same as a community coach.

Gordon Divall won the James Brynin Fan Of The Season prize.