According to that old Guinness advert, good things come to those who wait – and the 2008-09 season really has been a case of tick following tock for Albion fans. Or more apt may be tick following cock, as mistake after poor performance after sending off had seen 6 winless games prior to Saturdays victory over Wycombe. It may not have exactly been easy to watch on the eye, but we are finally up and running

Wycombe were, for want of a better word, awful. Former Albion manager Peter Taylor returned to Withdean quite obviously looking for a point as his team did not force Michel Kuipers into a serious save all afternoon. It was only after an equally poor first half from the Seagulls that Wycombe looked like they might finally do something attacking wise as they chucked on a couple of subs in an attempt to be more positive. Thankfully, it didn’t work.

Following his substitute performance at Millwall last week, Gary Dicker finally was handed his first start of the season. Alongside Gary Crofts, we finally looked like having a midfield that could do something. Elliot Bennett and Arron Davies, on his debut from Forest, looked lively down the flanks in the second period and defensively we were never really troubled, with Adam El-Abd producing a superb performance at left back, with no customary shot back pass or fifty pence head header that flies directly up in the air

As already stated, the first half was a total borefest. Arron Davies had the only real chance of either side when he managed to offer the Wycombe keeper a television save from a one-on-one when he really should have done better. The second half was a slight improvement, and Dickinson should have netted when Forster pulled the ball across the goal, only for the big striker to stand there in an almost comotosed state as the ball went behind him.

Wycombe keeper Shearer then pulled off a superb save from Forster, who showed what can happen when you actually move for the ball when it is crossed in, as only an outstretched foot kept the ball from resting in the net. Forster did eventually net, as a clever pass from Bennett saw substitute Dean Cox expertly beat what can only be described as a shocking attempt at an offside trap, and he squared the ball for Forster who duly netted his third in three games.

Gary Hart should have secured the points in added on time, when he found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but instead of either forcing him into the save or squaring the ball for Bennett who would have been left with the simple task of stroking it into an empty net, the veteran forward decided to totally embarrass himself by dragging his effort wide.

Thankfully, it didn’t matter in the end, as the Seagulls survived the final moments, including an incredible referees decision to award an indirect free kick inside the box and book Michel Kuipers for time wasting, and finally the first win of the season was on the board.

At worse it gives us a bit of breathing space at the bottom of the league, and at best it could be just the springboard needed to push on up the table and avoid any repeats of the heart inducing finish that the last campaign offered. Roll on the superfans trip – Carlisle away next week!