BRIGHTON have drawn first blood in tomorrow’s promotion battle after Chris Hughton and Anthony Knockaert were both honoured in the Football League’s monthly awards for April.

Hughton was named Manager of the Month ahead of Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka, having presided over a run of five wins and one draw from his side’s six games.

Brighton’s expansive football brought them at least two goals in every game they played in April, and contributed to their rise to a position where they will be promoted if they win tomorrow’s shoot-out at the Riverside.

“I’m picking this up on behalf of a group of lads that have not only excelled over this month, but over the season,” said Hughton. “It’s an incredibly good group of staff that have contributed and we just hope that we can take that right the way through the season.

“I think we certainly would have bitten your hands off if you had said we would be going into the last game of the season with a chance of getting automatic promotion.”

Knockaert, who will be one of Brighton’s main threats tomorrow from his position on the right of midfield, was named Player of the Month after claiming four goals and four assists from his five appearances in April.

“I feel very happy as it’s the first one for me,” said Knockaert. “It’s a privilege to win this trophy. It shows how hard I work for the team, but I couldn’t have done it without my team-mates.”