Albion 5 Kashima Antlers 1

Of course the crowds came largely to cheer Kaoru Mitoma.

They got a few glimpses of excitement from their hero within a diligent display to suit the team effort.

Then they roared in four second-half goals which added to a superbly confident finish from Yankuba Minteh in the first half.

Not a bad way for the Seagulls to push on in pre-season and impress their Far East audience.

Bar a scrappy concession late on which might not have survived a VAR check as Homare Tokuda lobbed in when he looked marginally offside, this was pretty much what Fabian Huerzeler wanted from the first public performance of his tenure.

The goals - and there were some crackers - all came either from new signings or players returning from loans.

But he also enjoyed the team work off the ball in energy-sapping conditions.

And if something didn’t go right on this occasion, well that is good too.

It gives something to work on and focus minds.

Hard work will be the focus of the day again today, along with another public appearance from Mitoma as Albion show support to UNICEF.

So yes, of course, it was about Mitoma for many – but for different reasons for different people.

The fans wanted to see moments of magic, to see their hero come across at the end, maybe even get close enough for a picture.

Albion wanted to see him do a solid 45 minutes of work after an absence of about six months.

There was almost the dream moment when his shot took a big deflection and looped on to the crossbar.

But this was more about looking for others, almost to a fault.

Huerzeler said: “I am very happy with his performance.

“I think you felt with his performance he really had fun to perform here in his home country and with people who were here for him.

“You see that in every ball touch he tries to create something as well.

“When we lost the ball, he was counter-pressing.

“He was very disciplined against the ball and that is always the main thing.

“I know it is really hard for him this week because he has a lot of events.

“He is very polite, like all Japanese people, so we try to support him the best way we can.

“On top of that he had a really good first half so he can be proud of himself and let’s come to work tomorrow.”

Huerzeler had made it clear he wanted to win these two games against Kashima and Tokyo Verdy, which is quite unusual for a coach to say in pre-season.

But the performance and fitness levels were, of course, key.

He said: “We are happy with the result.

“I think, even though it’s a test game, every win gives you self confidence.

“That is to the team or to the individual player if has a good performance.

“I think it was not everything perfect with how we played and how we defend.

“But what I saw was a team who suffered for each other, who show a togetherness on the pitch.

“When we lost the ball, everyone did counter-pressing, came as quickly as possible behind the ball.

“There were quite a lot of positive things.

“The (Antlers) goal at the end makes me a little bit not angry but disappointed, because I think a clean sheet is always good, especially for Jason (Steele).

“There are still things to improve and we will continue tomorrow.”

Albion used two similarly set-up XIs in either half.

And it seemed to help them get players darting forward from various positions, especially early in the first half here and for much of the second.

Minteh’s finish was a beauty as he raced on to a carefully measured pass from James Milner, whose pivotal deeper midfield role was taken by Ayari and, more briefly, Malick Yalcouyé in the second half.

The anticipation was audible among fans and Minteh cut inside one man, then another and drilled his shot past a wrong-footed keeper.

There were other threats from an Albion side who attacked in support of Danny Welbeck while Carlos Baleba dropped in to partner Jan Paul van Hecke at the back.

But Kashima also had their moments. Gaku Shibasaki, their No.10, shot over after a clever turn and a low cross almost cannoned in off Milner.

A fresh-legged and jet-heeled Albion line-up ran away with it in the second half.

Sarmiento produced a well-taken right-foot finish after Jensen Weir soared to knock down a Valentin Barco corner.

Simon Adingra forced a save but, as the attack continued, Ayari switched the ball from left foot to right and joyously crashed it high into the net.

Albion worked possession through Barco and Facundo Buonanotte to set the stage for a beautifully measured curler by Cozier-Duberry, whose left-footer went across the keeper and inside the far post.

It looked like he knew what he wanted to do with the ball even before he got it.

He was pretty decisive too when a defensive slip left him in on goal for his second.

Cozier-Duberry had already gone agonisingly close earlier with an angled shot and Barco saw an effort deflect just past the post as Albion again surged forward in numbers.

But there was certainly enough entertainment for everybody.

Even those who had just come for you-know-who.

Albion (1st half): Steele; Lamptey, van Hecke, Baleba, Hines-Samuels; Milner, Moran; Osman, Minteh, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Albion (2nd half): Steele; Offiah, Veltman, Weir, Barco; Ayari (Yalcouye 70); Buonanotte, Sarmiento; Cozier-Duberry, Sima (O’Mahony 75), Adingra.