Leonardo Ulloa fired Brighton to a 3-0 victory over fierce rivals Crystal Palace to deny them the chance to go second in the npower Championship.
The Argentine striker was compared to ex-Albion favourite Bobby Zamora by manager Gus Poyet this week and, like the QPR striker, he is already certain of a place in Brighton folklore with two goals to sink their historic foes.
David Lopez also scored a superb free-kick as the Seagulls secured a first home win over Palace in 25 years - since when the south-coast club have have had three different homes.
The Eagles head back up the A23 empty-handed after a chastening loss which dented their hopes of automatic promotion, while Brighton moved to within goal difference of the play-offs.
David Dunn salvaged a 1-1 draw for Blackburn deep into second-half stoppage time to extend 10-man Burnley's 34-year wait for east Lancashire derby glory.
The former England midfielder, making his first league start since October due to persistent calf problems, showed a cool head to dispatch a loose ball in the Clarets box into the net, after five of six scheduled additional minutes.
Both teams went into the match in dismal form, but Burnley had by far the better of an opening period interrupted by a home supporter releasing a chicken onto the field in protest against the regime of Rovers' poultry magnate owners Venky's.
And when Jason Shackell converted Ross Wallace's 32nd-minute free-kick at the second attempt it appeared to mark another dark day in the Indian family's calamitous tenure at Ewood Park.
Blackburn pressed either side of Ben Mee's 64th-minute dismissal for two quickfire bookings, but displayed all the cutting edge of a team without a goal in six of their previous seven outings until Dunn's late intervention.
Michael Appleton's Rovers lie four points above the npower Championship relegation zone in 18th and three points behind their rivals with a game in hand.
Click here for completely free £10 bet with Sky Bet & £5 free every week
Post Comment
