Friday 20 January 2017 20:26, UK
Brighton are in their best position for Premier League promotion after their play-off heartache last season, says defender Lewis Dunk.
The Seagulls came within touching distance of automatic promotion as they lost a top-two shoot-out against Middlesbrough on the final day of the season to set up a play-off tie with Sheffield Wednesday - whom they face again live on Sky Sports on Friday evening.
A 3-1 semi-final defeat to the Owls - who themselves missed out at Wembley - ensured another season in the Sky Bet Championship but Chris Hughton's side are once again pushing for promotion, locked in a battle with current leaders Newcastle for the top spot.
Brighton are one point behind the Magpies with a game in hand, and defender Dunk believes the south coast club are the closest they have ever been to finally achieving their dream.
"We felt what it was to have the two set-backs and we've got the drive there now to push it through this year. We don't want to feel that feeling again," he told Sky Sports.
"If you look back over the past seasons, this is the best position we've been in. It is ours to throw away now.
"We've got to look to each game and keep racking the points up and I think it's our best position we've ever been in to get to the Premier League so we have to push it through."
Dunk was chatting alongside central defensive partner Shane Duffy, with the two producing one of the league's most solid pairings so far this season since Duffy's summer move to the Amex.
The pair - set to be reunited on Friday following Dunk's suspension against Preston - their first defeat in 16 Championship games - have kept 10 clean sheets in the 19 games they have played together and gave a glimpse into what makes their partnership so successful on the field.
"The big thing is communication and just understanding the other one's game. We understand each other's strengths and weaknesses well and we bounce off each other," Dunk said.
"Now we've had that good run together, I think we're just so comfortable and know exactly where the other one is going to be.
"I've never seen someone head the ball like him to be honest. Whenever the ball goes up, I step out the way and he comes through like a steam train."
"I think he works well with me and I know my role in the team so I let him get on with it and I try and sweep it up," Duffy added.
Dunk and Duffy have also conceded just 13 goals when they have played together, and the pair admit it hurts when they do let a goal past them, even if they finish a game with maximum points.
"There was one at Sheffield Wednesday away when we conceded in the last second," Duffy said.
"We should have been really happy after the game but we came back in afterwards and we were raging. We still won the game but we were disappointed that we conceded so late on."
