Boss Chris Hughton admitted promoted Albion were below-par as their bid to seal the title at his old club Norwich fell flat.

Last night’s 2-0 defeat at Carrow Road, courtesy of two freak own goals by keeper David Stockdale, leaves the Seagulls still needing a win from their remaining two games to be certain of going up to the Premier League as champions.

The ball rebounded in off Stockdale from two shots by Alex Pritchard – who snubbed Albion to join Norwich last summer – the first hitting the crossbar, the second a post.

Hughton said: “They were two fortunate goals but we fell short of the standards we have shown, particularly after our last two away games (wins at Wolves and QPR).

“We know how tough it is away, we know what good form Norwich have been in and the type of players they’ve got and they can hurt you if you give them those opportunities.

“I’m probably more disappointed we gave them the opportunities to strike from where they did unopposed. It was more so that than the fact they went in.”

Albion’s first defeat in six games followed Monday’s raucous celebrations when promotion was clinched with a 2-1 win over Wigan at the Amex and Huddersfield’s draw at Derby.

Hughton said: “It’s been a very emotional week and you don’t know physically or mentally what that has taken out of them.

“Whether the performance was down to the emotions of the week I don’t know. The performance wasn’t like us, the goals we conceded weren’t like us. We can normally go through that and show our quality.”

The title will still be Albion’s before next Saturday’s final home game of the season against Bristol City if Newcastle fail to take four points at home to Preston on Monday evening and away to Cardiff on Friday night.