YOU really could not make it up. The man who turned Albion down might now send them down.

Their League One survival hinges on beating Jim Gannon’s Stockport at Withdean on Saturday.

Yes that's right, the same Jim Gannon who rejected the manager’s job before Russell Slade was appointed.

And the same Stockport side Slade watched do Albion a favour by defeating fellow strugglers Crewe 4-3 in a Friday night thriller.

Nobody connected with the Seagulls wants a repeat of that. The paramedics will be far too busy.

Slade would certainly have taken the last-day scenario at various stages during his so-far brief tenure.

In fact, he would have chewed your hand off when Albion were eight points adrift after losing at MK Dons at the start of last month, or when they suffered an apparently fatal defeat at home to Swindon.

They may not even need to beat Stockport. A draw, or even a narrow defeat, might be good enough depending on events in Cumbria and Cheshire, although the consequences of failing to win are far too fraught for comfort.

Most importantly of all, Albion’s destiny remains in their own hands. They began the weekend two points outside the relegation zone and they still are.

That was not the case at different times on a predictably tense afternoon in Yorkshire, from which Albion emerged with a tenth away point out of 12.

That is some run and yet Slade left the Galpharm Stadium with a slight sense of disappointment that the job has not already been done.

After coming from behind to win at Bristol Rovers, the Seagulls displayed character and spirit in abundance once more to fight back twice, especially after losing Gary Hart – so influential of late – to a hamstring injury in the early stages.

A draw was, in the circumstances, satisfactory and yet it could, perhaps should, have been more.

The danger was always going to be the ‘Andy Booth factor’, the galvanising effect on a Huddersfield side with otherwise nothing to play for of their legendary striker making his last home appearance before retirement. Sure enough, Booth opened the scoring but, apart from a ten-minute spell after that when the lead could have doubled or trebled, Huddersfield were lacklustre. Albion had both more chances and the better chances.

The feeling of relief at taking one point, tinged by disappointment in not taking all three, was encapsulated by the fifth choice strike partnership of substitute Calvin Andrew and goal-a-game Lloyd Owusu.

Andrew, Hart’s replacement, had space and time on the edge of the six-yard box to control the ball and pick his spot from a Dean Cox cross.

The on-loan Crystal Palace striker must have felt bad enough when he lifted his effort over the bar.

He must have felt even worse barely two minutes later, when Booth gave Huddersfield a controversial lead against the run of play.

Tommy Fraser, patrolling the near post, was convinced he nodded Booth’s angled header from a deep Robbie Williams corner off the line.

The linesman did not think so and Fraser sprinted to the linesman and festered over Booth’s 149th goal for Town.

Did the ball cross the line? I have no idea from my vantage point miles away in the press box and the same applies to others who voiced their opinion either way.

Replays might offer a more accurate indication but only goal-line technology can remove dispute from such arguments.

More pertinently from Albion’s perspective, with Booth such an obvious threat, was why was he unmarked beyond the far post?

Albion were feeling a little sorry for themselves after that until Andrew emulated his bullet header at Bristol with a brave one amid a cluster of bodies from an enticing Cox corner.

Cue Owusu. His afternoon went from bad, when he skewed horribly wide from an Andrew cut-back, to even worse with an under-hit two-yard pass back to Doug Loft just inside Huddersfield territory.

Seconds later the ball was in the back of Michel Kuipers’ net, Danny Cadamarteri releasing Michael Collins for a calm finish.

Owusu, never one to shirk responsibility, put things right with a scruffy sixth goal in as many games, stooping to conquer from close range from Cox’s mis-hit volley into the ground after the little playmaker had been significantly switched by Slade from the left flank to right.

For those back home in time to catch the Match of the Day highlights, it was a carbon copy of Dirk Kuyt’s second goal for Liverpool at Hull.

Craig Davies, on for Owusu, almost snatched the victory Albion craved with a cross which turned into a shot and had Alex Smithies scurrying to tip over his bar.

Davies, still to join in the goalscoring party for Albion’s many strikers, could yet be the saviour against Stockport, where he enjoyed a prolific loan spell earlier in the season.

It is unlikely I know, especially as he will almost certainly begin on the bench again, but do not rule it out in a season when Albion have lived up to their reputation of being a club that simply does not do ordinary.

Albion (4-1-3-2): Kuipers; Whing, Virgo, Elphick, Borrowdale; Dicker; Loft, Fraser, Cox; Hart, Owusu. Subs: Andrew for Hart (injured 9), McLeod for Cox (injured 77), Davies for Owusu (withdrawn 87), Hinshelwood, El-Abd.

Goals: Andrew (38), Owusu (66).

Yellow card: Fraser (16) dissent.

Hudersfield (4-1-4-1): Smithies; Kelly, N. Clarke, Butler, Williams; T. Clarke; Cadamarteri, Flynn, Collins, Roberts; Booth. Subs: Ainsworth for Booth (withdrawn 88), Eastwood, Berrett, Goodwin, Holdsworth.

Goals: Booth (16), Collins (57).

Yellow cards: None.