Adrian Colunga recalls a 3-3 Brighton thriller at Norwich

David Stockdale’s two freak own goals to help Norwich to a 2-0 win when the hosts did not have a shot on target all night was certainly one of them.

Russell Martin’s cannonball shot into the top corner as he steamed on to a clearance was another.

There was a 20-year-old Steve Sidwell turning the league table upside down with his winner for the lowly Seagulls over their promotion-chasing hosts back in 2002-03.

But, among the double-take moments, you would probably have to include a penalty by Adrian Colunga which took everyone by surprise.

It was the first spot kick the little Spanish forward had taken after arriving as one of several rather last-minute signings in the chaotic opening to the 2014-15 season.

That style has been seen in the stripes since, thanks to Tomer Hemed, but was new at the time.

Colunga’s cool conversion in a 3-3 draw capped probably his best – and certainly most productive – game in an Albion shirt.

The shortest-lived of Albion’s famed Spanish connection was out on loan with Granada by the end of January.

But he still recalls that spot kick and the comments it caused.

Albion had led 1-0 through Bruno’s header after Colunga picked him out in superb style.

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They were then 2-1 down and drew level through Kazenga LuaLua before a foul on Colunga offered the penalty chance.

With no messing about, he walked up and passed the ball gently into the net as (or, actually, after) keeper John Ruddy dived the other way.

Norwich came back to force a draw but the point was just enough to keep Albion out of the Championship relegation zone that night.

Colunga said: “I had a way of taking penalties which involved waiting a long time for the goalkeeper.

“I think it surprised everyone that day.

"I actually did it all my career and hardly ever missed.

“It’s hard to look at the goalkeeper at the same time as you shoot but you train and train to perfect it.

“For me, the goalkeeper has to make a decision. He’s got almost eight metres to cover, post to post.

“If you wait and detect that decision and you can angle your ankle quickly, you’re always going to outwit him.”

That six-goal thriller was a highlight in the first half of the season as Albion struggled for wins under Sami Hyypia.

Colunga said: “There were lots of changes of manager and that doesn’t help a player, especially when you’re away from hone.

“People expect you to function 100% but you’re not a machine.

“But now, looking at it from another perspective, it was positive for me in terms of an experience. I’m a coach so all I’ve learned in my career, including that time at Brighton, is valuable experience.”

Colunga’s other slow-motion spot kick came in the 2-0 win at Fulham under caretaker boss Nathan Jones on one of the most important nights of the season.

He said: “I remember perfectly how we won at Fulham and then Chris Hughton came in that week.

“I scored a goal and I thought I had a good game out wide.

“A new coach comes in with other ideas and I wasn’t in his plans.

“That was the situation at Brighton at that time.

“It’s a shame because, playing regularly, I think I could have offered more."

Asked about Hyppia, he echoes what one or two other players from that time will tell you.

“I actually thought Sami had some ideas and a model of playing which was good.

“But he came in at a bad time. Football is down to results in the end.”

Colunga was ex-Albion striker Maheta Molango’s first signing when he took over as chief executive at Real Mallorca.

Adrian Colunga, whistle in mouth, in his current coaching role

These days he coaches 18-year-olds for CD San Francisco, a feeder club to Mallorca.

He admitted: “When I retired I didn’t want to know anything about football for at least a season.

“I had had enough, I had suffered injuries. My last years were hard.

“But, from the day I started with this, I feel like a coach 100%.

“I’ve got a model of playing, my ideas.

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“As a former player, I think I understand what’s going on out on the pitch.

“I have a way of being as a coach which, if you’d told my team mates when I was playing, they would never have believed.

"I'm in Mallorca and it's a great place to live with the good weather, lots of people from different places and lots of sport.

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“This year I’ve had a few offers to go professional but let’s see what happens."

He remains in occasional contact with former team-mate Inigo Calderon and added: “I left Brighton on cordial terms so I’d love to come back and see a game there.

“But it would be different.

"It would be from the perspective of a coach this time!”