GUS Poyet believes Albion could be about to get the best out of Craig Mackail-Smith, after adapting the style of play to suit his £2.5 million hitman.

Mackail-Smith opened the scoring on his 28th birthday with his first goal at The Amex for five months in Saturday’s 3-0 win against Ipswich.

Strike partner Ashley Barnes added two more, the first time they have both scored in a game since September.

Mackail-Smith reaped the reward of slicker service to end his famine by finishing off a three-touch move involving Gordon Greer and Will Buckley, a change to Albion’s normally measured build-up under Poyet.

The manager, pleased to see both front men on target, told The Argus: “It’s good for Macca especially. That goal was important for him.

“We need to get the best out of players and unfortunately we were not getting the best out of Macca. It is very easy to blame the player.

“Sometimes it is the manager and the rest of the players. It's a mix and I am trying to do my best to get the best out of him.

“The strikers are unique and you need to create for them to finish. If they don't finish and miss too many then it's the player himself.

“When you don't have too many options it could be the team and we haven't been playing the way that suits Macca's style.

“As he said in the programme, he is still learning how Brighton play and at the same time I am trying to convince the players as well to give him one or two balls over the top.

“He likes to make that kind of run and get in front of defenders, so we need to alternate and use him like that, because he is that kind of player.”