A DUNK BLIP EVERY TRIP

CHRIS HATHERALL

GRAHAM POTTER has blanked out memories of his team’s nightmare at The Hawthorns last season as Brighton return today.

The Seagulls lost 1-0 in the Premier League in February when they were struggling to score goals and criticism was building.

But that tells only half the story.

The visitors missed two penalties – through Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck – and were victims of an almighty cock-up from referee Lee Mason.

Albion captain Lewis Dunk asked to take a quick free-kick and dinked it straight into the net when Mason blew his whistle. But the referee panicked and blew again, just before the ball crossed the line.

The goal was disallowed, then given, and then finally ruled out by VAR as players and fans were left bamboozled.

No wonder Dunk later suggested Mason (below) had lost control of the game, and no wonder Potter does not want to be reminded of the defeat. “It was a challenging time,” said Potter (above). “We were in the middle of a period where we were playing quite well but not getting the points. It came to a head in that game so I’ve tried to blank it out of my mind! We missed two penalties and there was a goal that got chalked off. It was not our finest moment. “But it’s football. You’ve just got to make sure you move forward. You have moments when you are tested, and your character gets tested. That was ours.” Brighton have improved rapidly since and now sit ninth in the Premier League, while West Brom are in the Championship. But Potter expects a tough FA Cup test. He said: “I had three-and-a-bit years at West Brom as a player, so I know the people of the area. They are great supporters and back their team. They are going through a transition but they’re still competing to be in the Premier.”