The Albion have scored 11 whilst our visitors have notched up 10. The run started with that exciting 3-2 win over Leicester, giving the Seagulls their first home win in League One. The Lions of Millwall were put to the sword 4-1 four days later. The only defeat came against Derby County, 1-4, three days after that in the Carling Cup. Finally, this last Saturday gave us an eventful 3-3 draw in the FA Cup first round against Hartlepool United.

I said we scored 11 out of the 21 but should now say the "best" goal of the six in the 'Pool game was a fantastic diving header by Colin Hawkins the Brighton central defender – into his own net! This was unfortunate to say the least. Other more descriptive language was used by the Brighton fans around me! Perhaps it is overstating to say Albion were coasting but we were 2-0 up into the second half and, without Hawkins' effort, must surely have gone on to win.

It was a strange fist 45 minutes. The visitors created chance after chance but failed to score. Pool's James Brown headed a great chance wide. Michael Mackay put one wide with John Sullivan, keeping his place in preference to Michel Kuipers, beaten. Against the run of play Brighton scored. Dean Cox hit a long diagonal ball which fast Stuart Fleetwood reached. He found Kevin McLeod on the edge of the area who instinctively chipped to the far post over the stranded Arran Lee-Barrett.

Fleetwood's pace remained a dangerous weapon for the Seagulls and he really should have scored, running right through on Lee-Barrett. The Albion survived other scares before getting their second through Cox with a sharp left-foot from just inside the area.

We were in good mood during the hot tea and chips break. It wasn't raining – yet! (It poured down later to give us a familiar soaking).

We wondered who would we get in the next round? Our cheerfulness didn't last! Eight minutes into the second half came the spectacular diving header into his own net by Hawkins. It was a dangerous cross, but directing it past the helpless Sullivan was not the right option.

Worse was to come. Less than two minutes later our defence failed to cut out another cross and Brown fired home. 2-2 and the home crowd were stunned into silence. The handful of hardy souls from the north-east were understandably ecstatic! Their long trip south became even more fruitful on 69 minutes when our shell-shocked defence were playing statues as Andy Monkhouse rifled in a fine shot.

Belatedly manager Micky Adams was forced to act. Nicky Forster, returning from injury, replaced the dejected Hawkins. Jake Robinson and Tommy Fraser came on for the ineffective Steve Thomson and Cox.

The substitutions were perhaps too late but did provide the missing combativeness. Immediately Fraser was involved and a scramble in the Hartlepool goalmouth followed. It was Fleetwood who sent in the decisive shot. Matty Robson on the goal-line kept the ball out only for Fraser to crash back into the back of the net. Tommy claimed the goal but Fleetwood's shot had gone over the line for 3-3 (goal celebrations pictured above).

There were still 10 minutes for either side to win the game. Robinson's strong long shot went just over. Forster had a powerful shot stinging Lee-Barrett's hands. In summary Hartlepool deserved the draw which forces us up to the far flung north-east for the replay on Tuesday November 18. The 'prize' for the winner is a second round tie against non-leaguers Leiston or Fleetwood Town. I'll wait for the result from Hartlepool before I look these up on the map!

The result and the performance answered one question. Do we need the loan players? I'm afraid, yes! We badly missed Bradley Johnson, Joe Anyinsah and Kevin Thornton. Our top scorer Glenn Murray was missing 'injured'.

This started rumours that behind the scenes a deal was being done with Charlton and that Murray would be on his way, perhaps leaving Fleetwood with us. But these are only rumours!

A big digger at Falmer! Yes it's true – I've seen the picture. It was in the match day programme.

It was only one man and a big yellow digger in the middle of the Falmer field which is the stadium site. He wasn't starting the foundations, unfortunately, but carrying out a pre-construction archaeological survey. Roll on 2010.