Brighton 0 Fulham 1

Even the best seasons bring periods when it feels like you are running uphill and against the wind.

Even the worst have times when things actually click and life seems easy again, sparking short-lived hope all will be okay.

Albion currently come under the first of those categories.

They are not doing much different to when the goals and wins were flowing freely.

But have taken just one point from a pair of matches which should have brought six.

Fine margins, of course. The previous three games had all brought favourable results thanks to very late goals.

This time it was a superb strike by Manor Solomon in the 88th minute which left them empty-handed as Fulham stole the win.

So pretty late, although six minutes were added and more should have been.

The goal itself was a worthy matchwinner as the Israeli who played for Roberto De Zerbi at Shakhtar drilled home a low, angled shot after good work by his fellow sub Vinicius.

But this wasn’t about a point which got away for Albion.

Or which might have been salvaged when Alexis Mac Allister fired a free-kick past the top corner with the final kick.

It was about three which should have been secured long before that.

It was galling for Albion fans to watch their counterparts having the time of their lives in the South Stand in the closing moments.

Albion had looked the more likely winners for most of the contest.

Their start to the game was among the best they have made since their emotion-charged opening against Chelsea.

Things became a little more cagey as the first half wore on.

But they poured forward towards the North Stand in the second, fuelled by urgency, some sense of irritation and injustice and laced with some attractive passing football.

It was under-pinned by the confidence of a side who have generally found a way to break through any defence for some time now.

And this was a resolute Fulham back-line in which Tim Ream and right-back Kenny Tete caught the eye.

Moments which stood out were headers wide by Lewis Dunk and Deniz Undav and a parry right on his goal-line by Bernd Leno from Mac Allister after thrilling work by Solly March.

There was a penalty shout when Joel Veltman went down, although that rather distracted from the fact March should have scored when the ball then ran loose.

The officials got it right in that incident, as they did when Undav was adjudged offside - albeit not by much - before he teed up Facundo Buonanotte to tap in.

Where Albion were less satisfied by referee Darren England was on some more minor offences and on policing Fulham’s efforts to run down the clock and kill the spectacle as they seemingly looked to grind out a point.

De Zerbi’s patience had worn out by full-time although he insisted he did not use “a bad word” to England and therefore felt the red card he was shown in the tunnel was unjustified.

All this after De Zerbi met with referees’ chief Howard Webb in midweek in the wake of an incorrect VAR decision which cost Albion a goal at Crystal Palace.

De Zerbi, who was initially positive about that meeting, saw things a little differently by early evening on Saturday.

He said: “I want to be clear. If you want to come to me to have a meeting and you want to lose two hours of my time, of my work, you have to have a different attitude on the pitch.

“If we want to improve our work in football, they have to be with another attitude, only this.

“I don’t want to talk about particular situations - ‘It was penalty’ or other things.

“I am speaking only of attitude.

“I can’t hear one opponent say a bad word – and I won’t repeat this word – and the referee without personality to control the game.

“But one time I lost time with a meeting and it will never happen again.

“I am not in England just to fool around in meetings.”

While those comments were the headline-grabbers on Saturday evening, they are a sideshow now.

Certainly for Albion and their fans.

The main focus must be how to return to winning form.

Key will be finding a way to replace injured Adam Lallana in the advanced midfield role.

Mac Allister has been further forward of late but the ball has not wanted to go in for him in the last two games.

Could it be that a compatriot of the World Cup winner gets more chance in that area of the pitch before too long and Mac Allister drops back again?

There are answers there. Options. A gameplan which works and which players understand.

The chances will keep coming and goals will fly in.

There is too much good stuff about the squad and their approach for it not to happen.

De Zerbi said: “There are different moments in the season.

“There are moments when you shoot and you score, very easy.

“And other different moments you can shoot many times, you can create a lot of chances to score and you don’t score.”

But the last two games have been tough to take. There is no getting away from that.

Albion: Sanchez; Veltman, Webster (Buonanotte 73), Dunk, Estupinan (Lamptey 62); Caicedo, Gross; March, Mac Allister, Mitoma; Ferguson (Undav 73). Subs: Steele, Van Hecke, Hinshelwood, Enciso, Sarmiento, Ayari.

Yellow card: None.

Fuham: Leno; Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson; Reed, Palhinha; Wilson (Vinicius 62), Pereira (Solomon 82), Willian; Decordova-Reid. Subs: Rodak, Kurzawa, Adarbioyo, Duffy, Solomon, Soares, James, Lukic, Vinicius, Goal: Solomon 88.

Yellow card: Diop 70, Vinicius 82, Robinson 84, Palhinha 90+1, Willian 90+6.

Referee: Darren England.