Brighton recovered from the late dismissal of Andrew Crofts to deny Leyton Orient and secure a first home point in four attempts under Gus Poyet.
O's winger JJ Melligan came closest to scoring, hitting the post with an inswinging cross after the break, while Scott McGleish shot wastefully wide.
Nicky Forster had Brighton's best opportunity but his header went over.
But Poyet's men were glad to earn a draw after Crofts was sent off for two yellow cards in the second period.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet told BBC Sussex:
"It's difficult to explain it because we were convinced we had the possibility to win the game. For different reasons its didn't happen.
"We are a little bit disappointed as a team because we didn't really dominate the game and we didn't create too many chances."
Leyton Orient manager Geraint Williams told BBC London 94.9:
"We should have come away with all three points especially against 10 men. I am disappointed but we were up against good strikers.
"The players performed as a complete unit and looked comfortable, it was a good defensive play."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
0-0
Leyton Orient
FT
(HT 0-0)
Brighton
29 Brezovan
03 McNulty
04 Elphick yellow card
06 El-Abd (Murray 60)
12 Tunnicliffe
27 Hoyte
08 Navarro (Cox 61)
20 Crofts two yellow cards, red card
26 Bennett
09 Forster (Hart 72)
10 Dickinson yellow card
Substitutes
01 Kuipers,
02 Whing,
23 Virgo,
07 Cox,
15 Hart,
17 Murray,
25 Davies
Leyton Orient
12 Jones
02 Purches
04 Chorley
05 Mkandawire
07 Melligan (Baker 90)
08 Chambers yellow card
10 Thornton yellow card
13 Daniels
25 Townsend
09 McGleish (Pires 55)
23 Patulea (Demetriou 63)
Substitutes
01 Morris,
06 Ashworth,
11 Demetriou,
16 Cave-Brown,
17 Pires,
18 Baker,
20 Smith
Ref: CrossleyAtt: 6,690
BRIGHTON
LEYTON ORIENT
Possession
Brighton46%
Leyton Orient54%
Attempts on target
Brighton5
Leyton Orient4
Attempts off target
Brighton3
Leyton Orient8
Corners
Brighton3
Leyton Orient9
Fouls
Brighton18
Leyton Orient9
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:17 The match has reached full-time.
90:00+3:00 Corner from right by-line taken by Andros Townsend.
90:00+2:38 Andros Townsend takes a shot. Blocked by Dean Cox.
90:00+1:18 Effort from the edge of the penalty area by James Tunnicliffe goes wide of the left-hand post.
89:13 Substitution John Melligan goes off and Harry Baker comes on.
88:43 Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save by Jamie Jones.
86:08 Sean Thornton shoots direct from the free kick, blocked by Glenn Murray.
86:08 Booking The referee cautions Liam Dickinson for unsporting behaviour.
85:42 Unfair challenge on Jason Demetriou by Liam Dickinson results in a free kick.
85:13 Corner taken by Andros Townsend, save by Peter Brezovan.
83:38 Unfair challenge on Adam Chambers by Glenn Murray results in a free kick. Jamie Jones restarts play with the free kick.
78:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hart on Adam Chambers. Free kick crossed right-footed by Sean Thornton from left wing, Glenn Murray makes a clearance.
77:53 Direct free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
77:53 Booking Tommy Elphick receives a caution for dissent.
77:29 Gary Hart concedes a free kick for a foul on Loick Pires.
76:44 Corner taken left-footed by Jim McNulty to the near post, Jason Demetriou makes a clearance.
75:54 Sean Thornton produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.
72:58 James Tunnicliffe takes the direct free kick.
72:58 Booking Adam Chambers is booked.
72:33 Unfair challenge on Elliott Bennett by Adam Chambers results in a free kick.
71:12 Substitution Gary Hart joins the action as a substitute, replacing Nicky Forster.
Correction - 69:39 Strike on goal comes in from Sean Thornton from the free kick.
69:39 Sean Thornton restarts play with the free kick.
69:39 Sent off Andrew Crofts is shown a red card for second bookable offence.
Correction - 69:11 Andrew Crofts challenges Jason Demetriou unfairly and gives away a free kick.
69:11 Unfair challenge on Jason Demetriou by Andrew Crofts results in a free kick.
68:11 John Melligan has an effort at goal from outside the area striking the post.
67:31 Unfair challenge on Adam Chambers by Dean Cox results in a free kick. Adam Chambers takes the free kick.
66:57 Andros Townsend produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.
64:53 Foul by Tommy Elphick on Jason Demetriou, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed left-footed by Andros Townsend from right wing, clearance made by Tommy Elphick.
64:20 Loick Pires has an effort at goal from long range that goes wide left.
63:41 Glenn Murray concedes a free kick for a foul on John Melligan. Direct free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
62:11 Substitution Jason Demetriou joins the action as a substitute, replacing Adrian Patulea.
61:59 Nicky Forster is ruled offside. Jamie Jones takes the free kick.
60:11 Substitution Alan Navarro goes off and Dean Cox comes on.
59:53 Substitution Glenn Murray on for Adam El-Abd.
58:57 Loick Pires challenges Liam Dickinson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Peter Brezovan takes the free kick.
58:33 Inswinging corner taken by Andros Townsend, Liam Dickinson manages to make a clearance.
58:13 Unfair challenge on Loick Pires by James Tunnicliffe results in a free kick. Sean Thornton restarts play with the free kick.
57:38 The official flags Nicky Forster offside. Free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
56:30 Inswinging corner taken by Andros Townsend, clearance made by Liam Dickinson.
55:29 Booking Sean Thornton receives a yellow card.
54:00 Adam El-Abd restarts play with the free kick.
54:00 Substitution Loick Pires joins the action as a substitute, replacing Scott McGleish.
54:00 Sean Thornton concedes a free kick for a foul on Alan Navarro.
51:17 Inswinging corner taken by Sean Thornton, Tommy Elphick makes a clearance.
50:56 Scott McGleish takes a shot. Peter Brezovan makes a save.
49:17 Unfair challenge on Scott McGleish by Tommy Elphick results in a free kick. Sean Thornton crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, clearance made by James Tunnicliffe.
48:45 Effort from the edge of the area by Elliott Bennett goes wide of the left-hand post.
47:56 Unfair challenge on Nicky Forster by Adam Chambers results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Adam El-Abd.
45:51 Corner taken left-footed by Andros Townsend from the right by-line, Close range headed effort by Ben Chorley misses to the right of the goal.
45:01 The second half kicks off.
Half Time
45:00+1:58 The players leave the pitch at half time.
43:01 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Scott McGleish by James Tunnicliffe. Free kick taken by Charlie Daniels.
41:17 Foul by Adrian Patulea on Adam El-Abd, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Peter Brezovan.
40:08 Nicky Forster gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jamie Jones. Free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
38:43 Foul by Adam Chambers on Andrew Crofts, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Tommy Elphick.
37:22 Header from close range by Nicky Forster misses to the right of the goal.
33:23 Adrian Patulea challenges Jim McNulty unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Tommy Elphick.
31:52 Foul by Gavin Hoyte on Tamika Mkandawire, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
30:40 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett.
30:21 Foul by Tommy Elphick on Jamie Jones, free kick awarded. Jamie Jones restarts play with the free kick.
30:00 Nicky Forster takes a shot. Save by Jamie Jones.
29:09 Free kick awarded for a foul by Tamika Mkandawire on Liam Dickinson. Elliott Bennett crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing.
28:15 Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save by Jamie Jones.
27:44 The assistant referee flags for offside against Scott McGleish. Free kick taken by Peter Brezovan.
27:11 Nicky Forster takes a shot. Save by Jamie Jones.
25:51 Jamie Jones restarts play with the free kick.
25:51 Booking Andrew Crofts booked.
25:41 Andrew Crofts challenges Adam Chambers unfairly and gives away a free kick.
22:42 The official flags Nicky Forster offside. Ben Chorley takes the direct free kick.
21:15 Elliott Bennett takes the outswinging corner, Tamika Mkandawire manages to make a clearance.
20:53 Alan Navarro takes a shot. Sean Thornton gets a block in.
17:40 Andros Townsend takes a corner.
16:40 Effort from long distance by Adam Chambers goes wide right of the goal.
12:14 Scott McGleish takes a shot. Save by Peter Brezovan.
10:12 Foul by Tommy Elphick on Andros Townsend, free kick awarded. Andros Townsend delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, clearance made by Tommy Elphick.
8:28 The assistant referee flags for offside against Nicky Forster. Free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
7:37 Adam Chambers challenges Alan Navarro unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by James Tunnicliffe.
4:03 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adam Chambers by Andrew Crofts. Stephen Purches restarts play with the free kick.
2:21 Corner taken short by Sean Thornton.
2:01 Sean Thornton takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Adam El-Abd.
1:42 John Melligan takes a shot. Save made by Peter Brezovan.
0:28 James Tunnicliffe challenges Tamika Mkandawire unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Jamie Jones.
0:00 The referee gets the match started.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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