Match Report: Brighton 1-0 Burnley

Brighton boosted their Championship promotion chances as a goal from David Lopez secured a 1-0 victory over Burnley at the AMEX Stadium. Wayne Bridge's cross from the left was flicked on towards the back post by Andrea Orlandi where Lopez volleyed home , with poor marking from the visitors contributing to their problems. The game had begun brightly enough but was short on clearcut chances, although Brighton keeper Tomasz Kuszczak was forced to tip a Junior Stanislas ball over the bar. Orlandi then headed a whipped corner from Vicente over at the other end before the hosts took the lead. Burnley rallied and Jason Shackell twice went close to grabbing an equaliser. His goalbound header was cleared off the line by Albion midfielder Gary Dicker, before Kuszczak pulled off a superb save with the ball heading for the bottom corner from Dicker's second effort. Grant McCann hit a half-volley over in the closing stages and Dean Marney shot wide after Danny Ings crossed from the byline. But Gus Poyet's side held out as they moved back into the play-off places.

Cardiff 0-2 Brighton

Cardiff City's lead at the top of the Championship is down to five points after Brighton's hard-earned 2-0 win. Midfielder Andrea Orlandi struck just before the interval to give the Seagulls a 1-0 half-time lead. Brighton's former Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak produced a string of good saves in the first half. And Leonardo Ulloa scored a deflected goal in second-half added time to seal the victory for Brighton and boost their play-off bid.With main rivals Hull and Watford both winning, it was bad news all around for Cardiff manager Malky Mackay on his 41st birthday. Middlesbrough's draw at Burnley leaves Brighton two points outside the promotion play-off positions. Much of the pre-match publicity had surrounded the decision by Cardiff City's Malaysian owners to hand out red scarves to the Cardiff fans. But it was the points given away which will be of greater concern to the supporters, though they still have an eight-point cushion over Watford in the automatic promotion places. The Bluebirds went into the game unbeaten in nine matches, having won seven of those. And for much of the first half, they looked the more likely to take the lead as Brighton goalkeeper Kuszczak had to be on his toes to keep a clean sheet. Craig Noone had a chance in the 15th minute after a strong run by Andrew Taylor, but his delicate attempt was saved by the Pole.

Brighton 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

A second half Vicente penalty helped Brighton secure a point at home to Blackburn in the Championship. Rovers took the lead with a powerful header from Scott Dann in a first half otherwise dominated by Brighton. Martin Olsson was adjudged to have handled a Vicente cross after the break, giving the Brighton winger the chance to equalise from the spot. Neither side could seal three points, with Kazenga LuaLua the closest to getting the winner. It was the second 1-1 draw between the two sides within three weeks, and the result, together with Middlesbrough's win over Leeds, leaves Brighton and Blackburn further adrift of the play-off places. The two sides exchanged chances in an exciting opening spell, with Dean Hammond and Leonardo Ulloa going close for Brighton within the first 60 seconds. Vicente and Will Buckley could also have given Brighton the lead, while the visitors saw both DJ Campbell and Bruno Saltor shoot narrowly wide, all before 12 minutes were on the clock. The hosts continued to dominate until, against the run of play, Dann rose to head home a Danny Murphy corner to give Blackburn the lead. Brighton still had the upper hand, and Dean Hammond had two chances in quick succession in stoppage time, forcing Jake Kean into a fine block before heading straight at the Blackburn keeper. The home side drew level 12 minutes into the second half when the assistant referee flagged for a penalty for handball against Olsson. Following protests from Blackburn, Vicente stepped up to drill the ball straight down the middle. Chances were few and far between following the equaliser, with LuaLua wasting the best chance for the home side deep into stoppage time.

Brighton 1-0 Hull

Former Spain international Vicente fired Brighton to within two points of the play-offs after a 1-0 win over Hull, who missed the chance to go second. The 31-year-old midfielder has struggled with a constant stream of injuries since Seagulls boss Gus Poyet persuaded him to move to the south coast 18 months ago after 11 years with Valencia. But when he does get on the pitch, Vicente is a class act and he proved it by climbing off the bench to grab Brighton's 83rd-minute winner with a free-kick. Hull needed only a point to climb into the automatic play-off spots and would have grabbed all three themselves but for some fine second-half saves from Tomasz Kuszczak. Tigers goalkeeper David Stockdale was also busy in a first half dominated by Brighton. Spanish full-back Bruno linked up well with Craig Mackail-Smith to tee up Dani Lopez for a shot which Stockdale got down well to palm away at full stretch. Hull showed more attacking ambition after the break and Brighton's on-loan Stoke defender Matt Upson had to make a brave defensive header to stop Jack Hobbs getting on the end of Ahmed Elmohamady's dangerous cross. Jay Simpson headed a Robbie Brady cross wide at the near post and Robert Koren prodded Stephen Quinn's centre over the crossbar. David Meyler should have done better with another inviting cross from Brady but he sidefooted his effort across goal and wide. Vicente's arrival sparked Brighton into life and they should have gone ahead in the 67th minute when the substitute's superb reverse pass sent Wayne Bridge to the byline. Bridge crossed towards Ulloa and the ball was only half-cleared to Andrea Orlandi as he arrived in the area, but the former Swansea midfielder's composure deserted him as he blazed over the top. Brady almost conjured up a stunning goal for Hull but Kuszczak got his fingertips to the dipping, 30-yard strike. Kuszczak made another superb save to keep out Elmohamady's low drive in the 79th minute. And the Pole's intervention proved pivotal four minutes later when Orlandi was tripped on the edge of the area. Vicente stepped up and slammed a low free-kick past the wall, under the body of the diving Stockade and into the net to secure three valuable points for the play-off hopefuls.

Wayne Bridge joins Brighton

Manchester City's Wayne Bridge has dropped down to the npower Championship and joined Brighton on a season-long loan deal. The 31-year-old former England left-back moved to the Etihad Stadium from Chelsea in 2009 but has endured a torrid time in recent years, having fallen well behind Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov in boss Roberto Mancini's plans. Bridge was farmed out to West Ham and Sunderland over the past two seasons and has now agreed another loan that will see him spend next term with the Seagulls. Seagulls manager Gus Poyet revealed Bridge has been one of his main summer targets and is delighted to be able to bring in the former Southampton defender. "It's difficult to say how I happy I am because it's not easy to get top-class players," Poyet told the club's official website, www.seagulls.co.uk. "I'm absolutely delighted to have Wayne with us. He's been one of the top three left-backs in this country for many years. "There were a lot of things that had to come together to make it happen. Firstly, (City first-team coach) David Platt has been great at Manchester City and then Wayne and his agent have helped a lot too."

Seagulls suffer Hammers blow

Brighton's early-season pace-setters have, by contrast, tumbled down the table after their winless run was extended to seven games.
The Seagulls could count themselves unfortunate, though, having created a host of chances to cancel out Nolan's 17th-minute strike. And they were architects of their own downfall after a bad mistake from Liam Bridcutt gifted West Ham what proved to be the winner.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet likes his team to play the ball out from the back, but not when they end up handing it on a plate to a player of Nolan's ability on the edge of the area. Bridcutt's heavy touch allowed the midfielder to nick the ball off him, stride forward and lash his shot past his old Newcastle team-mate Steve Harper.
Veteran keeper Harper had only joined Brighton on loan a few hours earlier and obviously did not have time to get his bearings, standing far too close to his near post and offering Nolan the rest of the goal to aim at.
Sam Allardyce's side had to see out eight minutes of stoppage time, following a nasty injury to Brighton's Gary Dicker.

Match Report: Brighton 0-0 Hull City

Brighton's winless run extended to a sixth game after they were held to a goalless draw by a resilient Hull.
The stalemate was far from dull, however, and the scoreline might well have been in double figures if not for the remarkable work of goalkeepers Casper Ankergren and Adriano Basso.Nigel Pearson's Tigers can now celebrate a run of seven games without loss in the Championship after an indifferent start to the season.In the early stages, Matt Fryatt's weighted drive was deflected away from danger by a brave Lewis Dunk. Then Craig Mackail-Smith, with five league goals to his name going into the clash, forced Basso to tip a fizzing shot round the post shortly before the half-hour mark.Aaron Mclean emerged as an attacking outlet for the Tigers in the 64th minute, arriving on the edge of the area to force a strong block from Ankergren, before reclaiming possession and stinging the Danish goalkeeper's palms with a fierce strike.The pressure increased on the visitors when Mackail-Smith forced Basso to punch the ball over his crossbar with five minutes remaining, with Dunk again appearing to block a late Mclean drive, but the points were shared.

Brighton Land Major Transfer Coup

Brighton are poised to pull off a major coup on transfer deadline day with the "impact" signing of former Valencia and Spanish international star Vicente Rodrigues.The 30-year-old left winger is on the brink of teaming up with the table-topping Seagulls on a free transfer, subject to passing a medical.Albion expect to complete the deal today, although it does not have to be done before tonight's 11pm transfer window deadline since Vicente is a free agent.Vicente has been looking for a new club since Valencia released him at the end of last season after 11 years service.He won two La Liga titles with them under Rafael Benitez and the Copa del Rey and has been capped 38 times by Spain.Albion already have lots of competition in wide areas, provided by Craig Noone, Kazenga LuaLua and Will Buckley, but the chance to add Vicente to their Championship challenge was regarded as too good to miss.Although hit by recent injury problems, the former Levante wide man was twice targeted by Real Madrid earlier in his career.They made a bid of 36 million euros for Vicente, who was also linked in the summer with a move to Premier League Blackburn Rovers.

Match Report: Brighton 2 Peterborough 0

Stunning goals in each half from Craig Noone and Ryan Harley fired Brighton to the top of the npower Championship as they beat Peterborough 2-0.Brighton should have taken the lead in the seventh minute when Noone escaped down the left and pulled the ball back for Ashley Barnes on the penalty spot, but the striker missed the target.But three minutes later the hosts made the breakthrough they had been threatening. Noone collected a miskick from Peterborough goalkeeper Paul Jones and was allowed to move inside, shift the ball to his left foot and crash a low drive into the corner of the net from 20 yards.Peterborough almost drew level barely 10 seconds after the break when Paul Taylor put Lee Frecklington through to round Casper Ankergren but his shot was cleared off the line by Inigo Calderon.The second goal came in the 64th minute when Tommy Rowe fouled Ashley Barnes 30 yards out and Harley stepped up to curl a stunning free-kick past Jones and into the top corner.Peterborough's best opportunity of the second half fell to Rowe but his shot rolled past the post and with it went the visitors' chances of getting back into the game.

Match Report: Cardiff 1 Brighton 3

Albion produced a stellar away-day performance to crush Cardiff City - who boasted a 100 per cent record in league and cup going into the game - and register the club's first win in the Welsh principality since 1984.
After an excellent 1-0 win at Portsmouth on Saturday, Albion stepped up a gear in Wales, with arguably their best performance of the Poyet era. Two goals from Ashley Barnes - either side of half-time - and another from debutant Will Hoskins put Albion in total command, before a late consolation penalty from Peter Whittingham.The Seagulls started in the same confident style that saw them triumph at Portsmouth on Saturday - with the midfield four of Liam Bridcutt, Gary Dicker, Romain Vincelot and Matt Sparrow showing great composure from the off and no fear of passing the ball against one of the top Championship sides in recent seasons.Vincelot and Barnes both saw marginal offside decisions go against them. Vincelot's effort drew a superb save from David Marshall, while Barnes thought he had sprung the home side's trap as he lashed a stunning volleyed effort into the net.Cardiff turned up the heat after the half-hour mark as the lively Robert Earnshaw, Kenny Miller and Craig Conway all tested Casper Ankergren in quick succession. Earnshaw and Miller tried their luck from distance, but it was the former Dundee United man Conway who went closest.Having popped up in space inside Albion's area, he was denied by the big Dane spreading himself and making a superb save. It was a vital stop from Albion's keeper to keep the scores level, as the Bluebirds threatened to take control.

However, Albion took the lead a few minutes later after a terrible error by home right-back Kevin McNaughton; his loose cross-field pass was intercepted by Barnes, who unleashed a ferocious drive which nestled in the bottom left corner of the net, leaving Marshall with no chance.

It was the perfect tonic for Albion, scoring just before half-time and they nearly doubled their lead early in the second half thanks to a great piece of opportunism from Craig Mackail-Smith. The hardworking Albion striker robbed Anthony Gerrard just inside his own half, played a clever one-two with Barnes, before charging into the box and firing a shot against Marshall's right-hand post.

Mackail-Smith's industry gave Barnes the chance for his second second. The former Peterborough man showed great energy to make up ground on Mark Hudson and nick the ball off the Cardiff man. He then turned to cut inside the home defender, and after Hudson clipped the Albion striker's heels Referee Keith Stroud had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Barnes stepped up to send Marshall the wrong way for 2-0.

Cardiff boss Malky Mackay immediately brought on French striker Rudy Gestede in place of Earnshaw, who for all his running, had caused Albion few real problems. Gus Poyet sent on Alan Navarro and Hoskins in place of Sparrow and Vincelot. Hoskins wasted little time in opening his Albion account, latching onto Mackail-Smith's pass and slotting cleverly past Marshall.

Cardiff grabbed a consolation in the 90th minute, after referee Stroud awarded a second penalty, for what looked a soft decision against captain fantastic Gordon Greer. He was adjudged to have pushed his fellow Scot Miller. Whittingham stepped up to score, but that did little to take the gloss off a stunning display in South Wales.

Match Report:Brighton 2 Doncaster 1

New stadium, new division, new players – but Gus Poyet is adamant some things will never change as long as he is at Brighton.His club are being transformed, and Saturday was a significant staging post on a journey they hope will take them to the Premier League. After 14 seasons without a home to call their own, Albion’s first league game in the Amex Stadium was always going to trigger a flood of emotions.Less predictable was that the most visible outburst would come from Poyet, who certainly produced a splash when he lost his rag with referee Eddie Ilderton and kicked out at a crate of water bottles.Twenty-seven minutes gone in a new home and Poyet had already been sent to his room – or at least to a seat in the stands. The incident added to a day of high drama that was capped with Albion substitute Will Buckley’s late double that clinched the win.Poyet, meanwhile, can expect a call from the FA. However, he remained unrepentant.He said: “I got sent off once as the Brighton manager, at Orient. They didn’t give me a suspension, no fine. I didn’t even have to pay the costs of the hearing.“Why? Because it was an unbelievable penalty that everybody saw and the referee was the only one who didn’t.“I am not going to change, the day I change and I don’t care, then I go home. I don’t know if I’ll appeal. We’ll see what happens. Maybe they will just put the referee in the fridge for two or three weeks. And I will get away with nothing.”Poyet’s post-match comments might not have been upbeat had his side not stirred themselves in the final half-hour to recover from Billy Sharp’s opening goal in the 39th minute.
Brighton’s recovery was set up in the 83rd minute by Buckley on his debut following his £1million move from Watford and clinched with a well-taken finish deep into added time.