Albion fans had two good reasons to enjoy a 2-0 win at home to Bournemouth in the final game of 2019.
But they only knew one of them at the time.
The success sealed by Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s first goal for the club and a beauty by Aaron Mooy ended a poor run at home to the Cherries.
In particular, it helped ease the memory of a 5-0 thrashing eight months earlier.
What fans at the Amex could never have realised was that this would be the final time they cheered their team to a win for almost 20 months.
Although the game took place on the final weekend of 2019, it proved to be the last win before the season was put on hold for 15 weeks in March due to Covid.
The Seagulls had wins both in the remaining rounds of games and the following season but they were behind closed doors.
Fans were back for a 2-1 success at Burnley on the opening day of 2021-22 but most supporters saw their first win when Watford visited the Amex a week later.
Jahanbakhsh’s early opener against the Cherries, drilled low across Aaron Ramsdale, was an emotional moment after he had endured a tough time settling into English football.
He followed it with his stunning overhead kick in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea but his purple patch was to be short-lived.
Jahanbakhsh now plays for Dender, who are bottom of the Belgian top flight.
He started their 2-0 cup defeat at home to Tony Bloom’’s club Royale Union St Gilloise this week.
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Dan Burn later had a potential second goal ruled out for a marginal VAR offside and Yves Bissouma hit the post.
Such was Albion’s misfortune in home games of previous years against the Cherries, including a couple of ridiculous penalty awards, many fans will have feared the worst.
But Leandro Trossard played a pass inside and Mooy curled a beauty to secure a win which was to be precious as Albion spent 15 weeks perched two points above the relegation zone in lockdown.
Albion: Ryan; Montoya, Duffy, Dunk; Propper Bissouma (Murray 89); Jahanbakhsh (Alzate 84); Mooy (Stephens 84), Trossard; Maupay. Unused subs: Button, Webster, Bernardo, Gross.
