Simon Rodger has set his sights on a permanent deal with Brighton and Hove Albion after a scoring full debut.

The Shoreham-born midfielder struck his first League goal for 13 months in Saturday's 3-2 home victory over Bradford, which ended a sequence of 12 straight Division One defeats for the Seagulls.

Rodger, the former Crystal Palace stalwart signed on a monthly contract, said: "I've loved every minute here so far.

"There is a great team spirit, with no big time charlies, and everyone has been brilliant to me. I would love to make it permanent."

Albion fan Rodger, rejected by the club as a schoolboy for being too small, is walking tall following his spectacular left-foot shot in between two Bobby Zamora penalties.

"It's a dream come true," he said. "I couldn't ask for any more. I couldn't sleep on Friday night because I was so nervous.

"I just wanted to put on a good performance for the fans and to score on my debut is unbelievable. My mum, dad, uncle and cousins were there and they are all chuffed for me.

"I didn't score many at all at Palace. Two a season was about my maximum."

Rodger's only League goal for Palace last season was at Portsmouth in September 2001. He managed just 11 in 276 appearances for Albion's arch rivals.

Boss Steve Coppell, who was also his manager at Palace, said: "I always felt he had equally as good a delivery on the left side as David Beckham on the right.

"That is a helluva claim I know, but if he had more confidence in himself in those situations he would have scored a lot more goals."

Rodger hobbled off towards the end with an ankle injury, but he is confident he will be fit for the visit to Wolves next Monday.

Paul Brooker is banned for the trip to Molineux and Michel Kuipers, sent-off in the last minute against Bradford, is suspended for the next home match against Derby on November 16.

Kuipers saw red after conceding a penalty at Withdean for the second game running when he brought down Stephen Warnock.

Coppell said: "Goalkeepers live or die by those decisions. It's expensive for us. He is going to miss a game now and he has got to judge the pace of this division a little bit more and not make that commitment."

More from the camp at thisisthealbion.co.uk