Brighton moved out of the bottom four of League One with a welcome victory over Gillingham at Withdean Stadium.
Elliott Bennett scored his first goal for the Seagulls on 25 minutes, curling in a magnificent free-kick.
Gills keeper Simon Royce saved brilliantly from Andrew Crofts and also thwarted striker Liam Dickinson as Brighton threatened in the second half.
But Tommy Elphick made the points safe by firmly heading in a Bennett cross 12 minutes from time.
Brighton boss Russell Slade told BBC Sussex:
"I still wanted us to go out and play and we had to have the courage to do that at home where we've not won too many games.
"For 25-35 minutes in the first half I thought we looked a real team, we knocked the ball about really quickly and sharp and we scored a goal and a great free-kick from Bennett and perhaps could have added another."
Gillingham boss Mark Stimson told BBC Radio Kent:
"I gave a couple of players another try and they didn't come up to the standard I was looking for.
"Those players will do their best to make the bench but they might not even do that. They were given the chance and didn't do themselves any justice whatsoever and we will have to make changes."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
2-0
Gillingham
FT
(HT 1-0)
Bennett 24
Elphick 78
Brighton
01 Kuipers
03 McNulty
04 Elphick yellow card
23 Virgo
27 Hoyte
18 Dicker
20 Crofts
21 Thornhill
26 Bennett
09 Forster (Dickinson 46)
17 Murray (Hart 66)
Substitutes
22 Smith,
05 Wright,
12 Tunnicliffe,
07 Cox,
15 Hart,
19 Davies,
10 Dickinson
Gillingham
01 Royce
03 Nutter
06 Richards (Erskine 79)
16 Gowling
02 Fuller yellow card
08 Bentley
14 Miller yellow card (Oli 52)
26 Weston
28 Payne (Lewis 52 yellow card)
10 Jackson
11 Barcham
Substitutes
23 Julian,
04 Lewis,
07 Maher,
09 Palmer,
27 Rooney,
19 Erskine,
21 Oli
Ref: ScottAtt: 5,960
BRIGHTON
GILLINGHAM
Possession
Brighton52%
Gillingham48%
Attempts on target
Brighton6
Gillingham4
Attempts off target
Brighton2
Gillingham1
Corners
Brighton8
Gillingham10
Fouls
Brighton12
Gillingham14
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:02 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
90:00+3:08 Simeon Jackson takes a shot. Blocked by Tommy Elphick.
90:00+2:19 Corner from the right by-line taken by John Nutter, save by Michel Kuipers.
90:00+1:28 John Nutter takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Gary Dicker manages to make a clearance.
90:00+0:24 The referee penalises Jacob Erskine for handball. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
88:11 Unfair challenge on Simeon Jackson by Andrew Crofts results in a free kick. Barry Fuller restarts play with the free kick.
83:40 Free kick taken by Jim McNulty.
83:40 Booking Stuart Lewis goes into the referee's book.
83:23 Free kick awarded for a foul by Stuart Lewis on Gary Hart.
82:55 Corner taken left-footed by John Nutter to the near post, clearance made by Gary Dicker.
81:42 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jacob Erskine on Adam Virgo. Michel Kuipers restarts play with the free kick.
81:25 The referee blows for offside. Simon Royce takes the free kick.
80:07 The assistant referee flags for offside against Liam Dickinson. Simon Royce restarts play with the free kick.
79:41 Jim McNulty restarts play with the free kick.
79:41 Booking Barry Fuller receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
79:29 Free kick awarded for a foul by Barry Fuller on Jim McNulty.
78:16 Substitution Jacob Erskine on for Garry Richards.
77:08 Assist by Elliott Bennett.
77:08 GOAL - Tommy Elphick:Brighton 2 - 0 Gillingham Tommy Elphick finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close in. Brighton 2-0 Gillingham.
77:04 Elliott Bennett delivers the ball,
76:43 Short corner worked by Elliott Bennett.
76:28 Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save by Simon Royce.
76:04 Liam Dickinson challenges John Nutter unfairly and gives away a free kick. Simon Royce takes the direct free kick.
75:24 Elliott Bennett takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Andy Barcham.
75:12 Gary Hart takes a shot. Blocked by Garry Richards.
74:49 Gavin Hoyte concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Barcham. John Nutter takes the free kick.
73:03 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line played to the near post, Andy Barcham manages to make a clearance.
72:48 Andrew Crofts takes a shot. Save made by Simon Royce.
71:40 Curtis Weston challenges Andrew Crofts unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adam Virgo takes the free kick.
70:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Curtis Weston by Andrew Crofts. Garry Richards takes the direct free kick.
68:48 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by John Nutter, Liam Dickinson manages to make a clearance.
68:08 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Bentley by Adam Virgo. Simon Royce takes the free kick.
67:35 Barry Fuller gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Liam Dickinson. Jim McNulty crosses the ball in from the free kick, Garry Richards makes a clearance.
66:33 Garry Richards concedes a free kick for a foul on Liam Dickinson. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Jim McNulty from right channel, Josh Gowling manages to make a clearance.
65:58 Substitution (Brighton) makes a substitution, with Gary Hart coming on for Glenn Murray.
65:17 Curtis Weston delivers the ball, clearance by Tommy Elphick. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by John Nutter.
64:41 The assistant referee flags for offside against Liam Dickinson. Josh Gowling restarts play with the free kick.
61:49 Corner taken left-footed by John Nutter from the left by-line, Liam Dickinson makes a clearance.
60:53 Handball decision goes against Garry Richards. Direct free kick taken by Adam Virgo.
60:23 Matt Thornhill challenges Mark Bentley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Barry Fuller takes the free kick.
60:00 Headed effort from inside the area by Liam Dickinson misses to the left of the goal.
59:30 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Curtis Weston by Jim McNulty. Barry Fuller takes the free kick.
57:43 Corner from the right by-line taken by John Nutter, Josh Gowling has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.
57:08 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by John Nutter, Liam Dickinson manages to make a clearance.
Correction - 54:26 Mark Bentley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jim McNulty. Jim McNulty takes the free kick.
54:26 Mark Bentley concedes a free kick for a foul on Jim McNulty. Jim McNulty restarts play with the free kick.
52:52 Centre by John Nutter, save by Michel Kuipers.
51:54 Substitution Adam Miller leaves the field to be replaced by Dennis Oli.
51:01 Substitution Stuart Lewis is brought on as a substitute for Jack Payne.
50:01 Mark Bentley concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrew Crofts. Jim McNulty takes the direct free kick.
45:05 Substitution Liam Dickinson is brought on as a substitute for Nicky Forster.
45:01 The second half kicks off.
Half Time
45:00+2:19 The ref blows to signal half-time.
44:43 Simeon Jackson is caught offside. Michel Kuipers takes the free kick.
44:23 Nicky Forster is caught offside. Garry Richards takes the free kick.
42:56 John Nutter takes the inswinging corner, Gary Dicker makes a clearance.
41:14 The ball is swung over by Mark Bentley, clearance made by Gavin Hoyte.
36:27 Jim McNulty challenges Barry Fuller unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by John Nutter, clearance made by Tommy Elphick.
35:48 Simeon Jackson takes a shot. Save made by Michel Kuipers.
31:28 Free kick awarded for a foul by Garry Richards on Nicky Forster. Tommy Elphick takes the direct free kick.
30:17 Strike on goal comes in from Adam Miller from the free kick.
30:17 Booking Tommy Elphick receives a caution.
29:49 Unfair challenge on Mark Bentley by Tommy Elphick results in a free kick.
29:27 The offside flag is raised against Nicky Forster. Indirect free kick taken by Simon Royce.
28:14 Inswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the left by-line played to the near post, Glenn Murray has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide of the left-hand post.
23:45 GOAL - Elliott Bennett:Brighton 1 - 0 Gillingham Elliott Bennett finds the net with a goal direct from the free kick from outside the penalty box to the top right corner of the goal. Brighton 1-0 Gillingham.
22:26 Booking Adam Miller is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
22:07 Elliott Bennett fouled by Adam Miller, the ref awards a free kick.
20:50 Elliott Bennett produces a cross, clearance by Garry Richards.
20:22 Corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line, Mark Bentley manages to make a clearance.
19:01 Adam Miller challenges Andrew Crofts unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adam Virgo takes the direct free kick.
16:12 Corner taken by Elliott Bennett, Adam Virgo challenges Jack Payne unfairly and gives away a free kick. Simon Royce takes the direct free kick.
15:40 Andy Barcham takes a shot. Michel Kuipers makes a save.
14:48 Simeon Jackson is ruled offside. Michel Kuipers takes the free kick.
13:32 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line.
12:59 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Glenn Murray by Jack Payne. Free kick crossed right-footed by Elliott Bennett from left channel, clearance made by Mark Bentley.
12:05 Foul by Tommy Elphick on Simeon Jackson, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by John Nutter.
9:45 Elliott Bennett is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Simon Royce.
9:20 Matt Thornhill takes a shot. Save by Simon Royce.
9:01 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Elliott Bennett, save by Simon Royce.
8:49 Elliott Bennett sends in a cross, Mark Bentley makes a clearance.
5:39 Unfair challenge on Glenn Murray by Mark Bentley results in a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Elliott Bennett, save by Simon Royce.
3:20 Garry Richards challenges Glenn Murray unfairly and gives away a free kick. Gary Dicker restarts play with the free kick.
2:20 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by John Nutter, Gary Dicker makes a clearance.
0:20 Simeon Jackson fouled by Tommy Elphick, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Barry Fuller.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
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