Norwich City 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

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David StockdaleImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

The two bizarre own goals happened in the space of 21 first-half minutes

Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale scored two freakish own goals as the Seagulls lost at Norwich to miss out on securing the Championship title.

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 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 as the Championship's player of the year, was replaced just after the hour mark, though his side 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 despite 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.

Norwich City interim boss Alan Irvine:

"A few weeks ago we hadn't beaten a side above us all season - now we have beaten three of them and that is very pleasing.

"I thought we deserved to win, even though I have just been told that we didn't have a single shot on target, unless you count the ones against the woodwork.

"I thought we controlled the game for most of the time. I thought we passed the ball really well, especially in the first half, and also defended well, especially when they were putting balls into our box."

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton on the two own goals:

"That's not something I have ever seen before. It happens to keepers from time to time, but not usually twice in one game.

"Obviously there is no blame attached to David at all - he was just trying to make the saves and the ball just came back off him.

"What I would say is that we were punished for allowing the player to get his shot away by not closing him down on the edge of the box.

"Norwich have got a lot of quality in their side and when that happens you are asking for trouble."

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