Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale scored two freakish own goals on Friday as the Seagulls lost 0-2 at Norwich to miss out on securing the Championship title in England.
Both came from Alex Pritchard shots, the first smashing the bar and rebounding in off Stockdale’s back.
Albion’s Jamie Murphy had a penalty appeal waved away before Pritchard curled against the post, with the ball again hitting Stockdale and going in.
The Seagulls, who sealed promotion on Monday, were however well short of their best.
Chris Hughton’s Brighton needed a win to become champions and came closest to scoring when Glenn Murray saw his header cleared off the line by Jonny Howson.
The ineffective Anthony Knockaert, recently named the Championship’s Player of the Year, was replaced just after the hour mark.
His side however remain seven points clear of Newcastle, who have three games to play.
Eighth-placed Norwich, who cannot make the play-offs, remarkably did not register a single shot on target in spite of winning comfortably.
The Canaries could have gone ahead early on but Nelson Oliveira could not quite reach Howson’s dangerous cross.
Brighton must now wait until at least Monday to clinch the title, as Newcastle must avoid defeat against Preston to take the race into the penultimate round of fixtures.(NAN)
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