SEAGULLS ON TO SAM-THING
EVERYEVERY KICK, KICK, EVERY EVERY GOAL, GOAL, EVERY EVERY GAME GAME Rotation policy keeps leaders on their toes
BRIGHTON striker Sam Baldock sent the Seagulls soaring to the top and then backed Chris Hughton’s ruthless rotation policy.
In-form Tomer Hemed made way for Glenn Murray against Barnsley at Oakwell
So Baldock made sure he justified keeping his place by bagging a double as Brighton leapfrogged Newcastle, who play at Aston Villa tonight.
The striker’s steering wheel celebration was a nod to current favourite video game Mario Kart.
But Baldock knows he can’t bank on pole position in the run-in for automatic promotion.
He said: “It was a big call from the gaffer to put me in and not Hemed, who’s been in good form.
“But we respect him and trust his decisions and we take them very well.
“There’s a friendly rivalry – it’s not about individual glory or personal gain.
“Four of us are going for two places, but we’re pleased for each other when we score.
“Glenn was dominating their centre-halves. It was a fantastic response from him.
“But he is a quality player. That is why we paid good money for him at 33 years old.”
French ace Anthony Knockaert is another class act, his passes laying on both goals in 15 second-half minutes.
Baldock’s dipper caught out keeper Adam Davies before he sealed it with his 10th of the season.
But Barnsley are refusing to bow out of the play-off chase, despite falling nine points adrift.
Skipper Marc Roberts said: “If we get on a run, you never know because we’ve got the quality.
“We have come a long way as a team and we’re not going to stop here.
“We’re not in this league to make the numbers up. We want to keep getting better.
“We’ll look at it from every aspect in training and see how we can improve.”