A first-half own goal by defender Andrew Whing was enough to give Walsall a slender win as Brighton's first home opener for 10 years ended in defeat.
Walsall's promising start was rewarded when Whing headed a deep Rhys Weston cross into his own net in the 30th minute under pressure from Troy Deeney.
Brighton improved after the break and nearly equalised when sub Nicky Forster put a glancing header just over.
Walsall were forced to defend for much of the second half but held on.
Brighton boss Russell Slade told BBC Sussex:
"We wanted a positive result, people were expecting one and I think we all were.
"We didn't perform quite as well as I hoped we would, in the first half particularly. I thought we played better in the the second half.
"However, I don't think we deserved to lose today, the game's been separated by an own goal."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 8 August 2009
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
0-1
Walsall
FT
(HT 0-1)
Whing (og) 30
Brighton
01 Kuipers
02 Whing
04 Elphick
05 Wright
23 Virgo
07 Cox (McLeod 78)
08 Navarro yellow card
19 Wright
20 Crofts
21 Thornhill (Forster 46)
10 Dickinson (Murray 82)
Substitutes
22 Smith,
06 El-Abd,
12 Tunnicliffe,
11 McLeod,
18 Dicker,
09 Forster,
17 Murray
Walsall
01 Ince
02 Weston
05 Hughes
19 Vincent
06 Smith
08 Mattis yellow card
18 Till (Bradley 88)
20 Richards yellow card
07 Jones (Taundry 65)
09 Parkin yellow card
10 Deeney (Nicholls 74)
Substitutes
21 Gilmartin,
04 Roberts,
14 Taundry,
12 Bradley,
11 Nicholls
Ref: SinghAtt: 6,504
BRIGHTON
WALSALL
Possession
Brighton49%
Walsall51%
Attempts on target
Brighton2
Walsall2
Attempts off target
Brighton5
Walsall5
Corners
Brighton10
Walsall5
Fouls
Brighton9
Walsall11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:02 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+3:14 The referee blows for offside against Nicky Forster. Jamie Vincent restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+2:35 Andrew Crofts has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses right.
90:00+1:47 Corner taken left-footed by Kevin McLeod from the left by-line, clearance by Clayton Ince. Inswinging corner taken by Mark Wright from the right by-line, Mark Hughes makes a clearance.
90:00+0:40 Corner taken by Kevin McLeod, Tommy Elphick has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.
90:00+0:12 The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Adam Virgo.
89:11 Corner taken right-footed by Mark Wright from the left by-line, Clayton Ince manages to make a clearance.
87:51 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adam Virgo by Richard Taundry. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
87:04 Substitution Mark Bradley comes on in place of Peter Till.
86:16 Mark Wright concedes a free kick for a foul on Sam Parkin. Free kick taken by Jamie Vincent.
85:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jamie Vincent on Mark Wright. Mark Wright takes the free kick.
83:42 Inswinging corner taken by Matthew Richards from the right by-line, clearance by Adam Virgo.
81:52 Substitution (Brighton) makes a substitution, with Glenn Murray coming on for Liam Dickinson.
81:21 Alex Nicholls is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Michel Kuipers.
80:34 Free kick taken by Clayton Ince.
80:34 Booking Booking for Sam Parkin for dissent.
80:03 Corner taken left-footed by Kevin McLeod, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sam Parkin by Adam Virgo.
79:08 Direct free kick taken by Jamie Vincent.
79:08 Booking The referee shows Alan Navarro a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
79:01 Free kick awarded for a foul by Alan Navarro on Matthew Richards.
78:19 Corner taken by Mark Wright from the left by-line, clearance by Rhys Weston.
76:58 Adam Virgo takes the indirect free kick.
76:58 Substitution Kevin McLeod replaces Dean Cox.
76:58 The referee blows for offside against Alex Nicholls.
76:27 Sam Parkin is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 75:52 Rhys Weston fouled by Dean Cox, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed by Peter Till, Andrew Whing makes a clearance.
75:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by Dean Cox on Rhys Weston. Free kick taken by Rhys Weston.
75:21 Jake Wright challenges Peter Till unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Rhys Weston.
74:35 The official flags Richard Taundry offside. Michel Kuipers takes the free kick.
73:41 Substitution Troy Deeney goes off and Alex Nicholls comes on.
72:54 Effort from the edge of the area by Richard Taundry goes wide of the right-hand upright.
71:39 Richard Taundry takes a shot. Blocked by Mark Wright. Corner taken by Matthew Richards from the right by-line, clearance made by Alan Navarro.
71:01 The ball is delivered by Nicky Forster.
67:01 The referee blows for offside. Clayton Ince takes the indirect free kick.
65:52 Free kick crossed right-footed by Andrew Whing from right channel.
65:52 Booking Matthew Richards shown a yellow card.
65:43 Free kick awarded for a foul by Matthew Richards on Nicky Forster.
65:13 Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save by Clayton Ince.
64:43 Substitution Richard Taundry is brought on as a substitute for Steve Jones.
64:23 Shot from outside the box by Liam Dickinson misses to the left of the goal.
62:20 Header by Nicky Forster from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
61:04 The referee blows for offside. Mark Hughes restarts play with the free kick.
59:26 The referee blows for offside. Clayton Ince restarts play with the free kick.
58:35 Corner taken right-footed by Dean Cox, clearance by Troy Deeney.
Correction - 57:45 Sam Parkin challenges Adam Virgo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Andrew Whing takes the indirect free kick.
57:45 Sam Parkin gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Adam Virgo. Free kick taken by Adam Virgo.
56:31 Booking The referee cautions Dwayne Mattis for dissent.
55:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Dwayne Mattis on Alan Navarro. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
52:24 Mark Wright takes a shot. Clayton Ince makes a save.
50:43 Corner taken by Dean Cox from the right by-line, save made by Clayton Ince.
45:01 The second half begins.
45:01 Substitution Nicky Forster replaces Matt Thornhill.
Half Time
45:00+1:03 The match has reached half-time.
43:45 Handball decision goes against Matthew Richards. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Mark Wright from right wing.
41:51 Unfair challenge on Liam Dickinson by Mark Hughes results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Mark Wright, Clayton Ince makes a clearance.
40:23 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Matthew Richards, Dwayne Mattis produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
38:44 Unfair challenge on Jake Wright by Peter Till results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Dean Cox, Sam Parkin makes a clearance.
36:25 Dean Cox gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Emmanuele Smith. Mark Hughes takes the direct free kick. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Peter Till, Sam Parkin gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Michel Kuipers. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 33:02 Liam Dickinson concedes a free kick for a foul on Mark Hughes. Indirect free kick taken by Clayton Ince.
33:02 Liam Dickinson concedes a free kick for a foul on Mark Hughes. Mark Hughes takes the indirect free kick.
31:34 Corner from the left by-line taken by Dean Cox, Close range headed effort by Tommy Elphick clears the crossbar.
29:41 GOAL - Andrew Whing:Brighton 0 - 1 Walsall Andrew Whing heads into his own net. Brighton 0-1 Walsall.
29:36 Rhys Weston produces a cross.
25:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Peter Till by Jake Wright. Direct strike on goal from the free kick comes in from Matthew Richards.
22:15 The assistant referee signals for offside against Liam Dickinson. Mark Hughes restarts play with the free kick.
20:19 Liam Dickinson is ruled offside. Mark Hughes takes the free kick.
16:28 Sam Parkin is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Jake Wright takes the free kick.
15:17 Headed effort from deep inside the area by Sam Parkin misses to the right of the goal.
13:14 Headed effort from inside the area by Steve Jones misses to the left of the goal.
11:08 Mark Wright takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Rhys Weston makes a clearance.
10:31 Free kick awarded for a foul by Mark Hughes on Liam Dickinson. Andrew Whing takes the free kick.
9:26 Short corner taken by Matthew Richards from the right by-line.
7:59 The referee blows for offside. Free kick taken by Michel Kuipers.
7:06 Matthew Richards has an effort from just inside the box that misses to the left of the goal.
4:04 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Hughes by Andrew Crofts. Rhys Weston takes the free kick.
3:16 Sam Parkin concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrew Whing. Indirect free kick taken by Michel Kuipers.
0:07 Dwayne Mattis gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tommy Elphick. Michel Kuipers takes the indirect free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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Brighton 0-1 Walsall
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