Tommy Mooney made amends for a nightmare Stoke debut with a first-half penalty to help the Potters earn three valuable points against struggling Brighton.

Mooney, who recently joined the First Division side on loan from Birmingham, was sent off during the 2-1 defeat to Burnley at the weekend.

But he responded in style with the opening goal of a dismal game at the Withdean Stadium.

Andy Cooke sealed the win deep into the second half and Albion, despite an excellent late goal from Richard Carpenter, rarely looked like avoiding a seventh straight defeat.

The Seagulls were under pressure early on, with forward Mooney lifting a long-range shot over the crossbar in the fifth minute.

With 16 minutes gone the visitors deservedly opened the scoring.

Brighton defender Paul Watson was penalised after handling Bjarni Gudjonsson's cross inside his own box and Mooney stepped up to drive the ball low into the corner of the net from 12 yards.

The goal gave Stoke confidence and they almost doubled their advantage shortly after when Gudjonsson was given space just outside the box but failed to keep his powerful shot down.

And Hinshelwood's men were fortunate not to fall further behind on the half-hour mark, Jurgen Vandeurzen firing woefully into the crowd after an excellent delivery from defender Wayne Thomas.

But Brighton should have been level six minutes before the break when Carpenter's fierce strike was spilled by Cutler, and Marney, following up, dragged a weak shot wide from just six yards.

Hinshelwood replaced Robbie Pethick with Nathan Jones immediately after the interval and Brighton began to look more dangerous.

However, with 14 minutes to go Cooke doubled the visitors' advantage.

He picked up the ball after a collision between two home defenders and found the corner of the net with a clinical low shot for his third goal of the season.

Brighton dragged themselves back into the match with a quality 25-yard finish from Carpenter but it ultimately proved in vain.

Brighton: Petterson, Pethick, Watson, Cullip, Butters, Marney, Oatway, Carpenter, Melton, Wilkinson, Hart. Subs: Rogers, Jones, Packham, McPhee, Hammond.

Stoke: Cutler, Thomas, Clarke, Handyside, Shtanuk, Gunnarsson, Gudjonsson, O'Connor, Vandeurzen, Cooke, Mooney. Subs: Hoekstra, Viander, Iwelumo, Henry, Commons.

Referee: G Hegley (Hertfordshire).