Division One leaders Portsmouth were held to a draw by bottom of the table Brighton at the Withdean Stadium.

The result will come as a boost to Portsmouth's automatic promotion rivals of Leicester and Sheffield United, who will have gained hope of overhauling the south-coast club's title lead.

Portsmouth have suffered a recent slump recently with just one win in their last nine games and it showed no signs of improving at Brighton.

Bobby Zamora put the Seagulls ahead before Svetoslav Todorov equalised for the visitors.

Brighton were the first team to threaten first in the game with Paul Brooker shooting wide from just outside the penalty area before Graham Barrett had a similar effort blocked by Hayden Foxe.

Telling substitution

Zamora then missed the target after finding the ball at his feet six yards out.

Zamora was similarly wasteful shortly after, although this time it was the supporters to Hislop's right who were ducking for cover.

It was a different story after the interval, with Brighton's on-loan goalkeeper Ben Roberts thankful for the woodwork in keeping out the first of two Nigel Quashie strikes in as many minutes.

The expected Portsmouth surge did not materialise, not least until Zamora had put Brighton ahead with a low left-footed drive from Brooker's pass.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes, however, with the introduction of Nigerian debutant Yacubu Ayegbini in place of Vincent Pericard crucial in Portsmouth's equaliser.

Ayegbini, who received international clearance this week following his loan move from Maccabi Haifa, forced Roberts into a stunning fingertip save.

And, from the resulting corner, Todorov supplied the finish.

Brighton: Roberts, Mayo, Cullip, Pethick, Watson, Oatway, Carpenter, Brooker, Jones, Zamora, Barrett. Subs: Blackwell, Hart, Packham, Kitson, Piercy.

Portsmouth: Hislop, Foxe, Tavlaridis, Diabate, Pericard, Stone, Quashie, Primus, Taylor, Todorov, Merson. Subs: Crowe, Harper, Ayegbini, Kawaguchi, Burton.

Referee: M Messias (N Yorkshire)