It’s more than eight years now since England's women scored nine at the Amex on the day Albion's men drew 0-0 at Barnsley.

There were some well-known names in that England side which thrashed the minnows of Montenegro in a World Cup qualifier.

You are talking about Steph Houghton, Karen Carney, Eni Aluko, Alex Scott and Toni Duggan, who scored a hat-trick.

But that early April afternoon, good as it no doubt was for those not shivering at Oakwell, has not gone down in Amex legend.

It’s probably fair to suggest that.

Maybe that’s because the crowd that afternoon was just short of 9,000.

Decent, but 20,000 fewer than relished a Euro 2022 fixture on a gorgeous warm summer’s evening which surely enters the stadium’s hall of fame.

Eight was great for England and their fans (though they should have had double figures) without reply against a strong Norway side.

The Amex was a fabulous stage for an electric performance from the hosts once an early, rather soft, penalty had cut short a composed start by the visitors, who are ranked 11th in the world.

From the cacophony of noise during a frenetic start through the anticipation as the next wave of attack threatened the Norway defence up until a joyous farewell at the end.

 

The Brighton Community Stadium, as it is officially titled for this event (though few people seem to stick to that), looked and sounded as stunning as the football it was staging.

And England WERE stunning - precise, penetrative, pacey, strong and more clinical in the first half than they were in the second.

There was the joy of a first tournament goal for former Albion striker Alessia Russo, who had come off the bench.

There might be some out there who suggest Russo’s bludgeoning header offered the extra bonus of cutting short the ‘Mexican’ wave.

Yes, there might be. I would not wish to comment.

But that wave and the phone lights were part of the fun.

The joyful noise was unremitting.

And Beth Mead ensured there was another hat-trick when the ball came back off Guro Pettersen, the stand-in for injured former Albion goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand.

Apparently, Euro 2022 organisers were not exactly snowed under with applications to host these matches.

Brighton and Hove - as in Albion and the city - were keen, just as they were for the Rugby World Cup in 2015 when Japan gave us one of the magic moments.

England didn’t score quite as many goals as they did in 2014.

But that bold call to go for the Euros left plenty of fans - both sexes, all ages, Albion and non-Albion - on cloud nine last night.