The traditional Boxing Day game, against Millwall that season at the Amex, was postponed due to the fact that no trains or buses were running that day and the game was played eight days earlier. Former Seagulls loanee Chris Wood handed the Lions a 2-0 lead, but Albion hit back through goals from LuaLua and a David Lopez penalty two minutes from time.
Albion’s push for the play-offs then gathered momentum and the final fixture of the season came at home against Wolves, where a first-half brace from LuaLua secured a 2-0 victory and a fourth-place finish for the Seagulls, while condemning the visitors to League One football.
The derby games against Palace were chequered as an eighth-minute red card for Lewis Dunk handed the hosts a 3-0 win at Selhurst Park in December, but the return at the Amex in March was a different story as two goals from Leo Ulloa and a superb David free-kick secured a 3-0 victory.
The less said about the play-off games against Palace that season the better, but it ensured the fixture was absent from Albion’s 2013/14 campaign.
Like 12 months earlier, there was frustration on the opening day, this time at Leeds United. Ulloa and Ross McCormack had struck early and with game seemingly heading for a draw, United’s Luke Murphy scored in the 90th minute, controversially handling as he struck the winner.
The Valley had been something of a happy hunting ground for Albion, but our Boxing Day fixture last season saw Charlton take all three points in a 3-2 victory – Ulloa netting a brace, his second goal a last-minute consolation.
Which brings us to the final game of last season and a moment in time which will long live in the memory of Albion supporters.
Needing to better Reading’s score at home to Burnley to squeeze into the final play-off spot, both games were heading for draws – 1-1 at the City Ground and 2-2 at the Madejski – as they went into injury time. With one last throw of the dice, a superb in-swinging cross from Craig Mackail-Smith was met by Ulloa, who powered the ball home in front of the travelling support. Cue mass celebrations on and off the pitch – the highlight being Andrea Orlandi’s sprint across the pitch to join in with his team-mates, having earlier been substituted.*
Original article
Albion’s push for the play-offs then gathered momentum and the final fixture of the season came at home against Wolves, where a first-half brace from LuaLua secured a 2-0 victory and a fourth-place finish for the Seagulls, while condemning the visitors to League One football.
The derby games against Palace were chequered as an eighth-minute red card for Lewis Dunk handed the hosts a 3-0 win at Selhurst Park in December, but the return at the Amex in March was a different story as two goals from Leo Ulloa and a superb David free-kick secured a 3-0 victory.
The less said about the play-off games against Palace that season the better, but it ensured the fixture was absent from Albion’s 2013/14 campaign.
Like 12 months earlier, there was frustration on the opening day, this time at Leeds United. Ulloa and Ross McCormack had struck early and with game seemingly heading for a draw, United’s Luke Murphy scored in the 90th minute, controversially handling as he struck the winner.
The Valley had been something of a happy hunting ground for Albion, but our Boxing Day fixture last season saw Charlton take all three points in a 3-2 victory – Ulloa netting a brace, his second goal a last-minute consolation.
Which brings us to the final game of last season and a moment in time which will long live in the memory of Albion supporters.
Needing to better Reading’s score at home to Burnley to squeeze into the final play-off spot, both games were heading for draws – 1-1 at the City Ground and 2-2 at the Madejski – as they went into injury time. With one last throw of the dice, a superb in-swinging cross from Craig Mackail-Smith was met by Ulloa, who powered the ball home in front of the travelling support. Cue mass celebrations on and off the pitch – the highlight being Andrea Orlandi’s sprint across the pitch to join in with his team-mates, having earlier been substituted.*
Original article