Leon Balogun picks up man of the match award after scoring as Brighton beat Palace 3-1

SUPER Eagles centreback Leon Balogun picked up the man-of-the-match award last night in an English Premier League game after scoring his first goal of the season in his club's 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace that has catapulted Brighton up to tenth place in the table.

Coming on as a 28th minute substitute after Shaun Duffy was dismissed for head butting an opponents, Balogun scored with his first touch, sweeping home a corner to put his side up 2-0. Brighton and Hove made it three just before the end of the first half through another substitute Florin Andone and despite Balogun giving away a late penalty with a badly-timed challenge, he was still voted man of the match.

Now set to play in the team's next three games following the red card picked up by Duffy, Balogun will be hoping to make a claim for a starting shirt. Brighton manager Chris Houghton admitted after the game that part of his instruction to the defender was to help his team defend and not score.

Mr Houghton said: “I was more concerned with Balogun doing the right things in the opposition box, defending corners and free-kicks but that was probably the most important goal. That made the gap that little bit bigger and although Andone’s was certainly the best goal, Leon’s was the most important.”

Balogun who has found games hard to come by since his move on a free transfer from Mainz 05 in Germany to Brighton at the end of last season, scored his first goal in two years last night. In total, he has scored 11 career goals from his role as a central defender.