Brighton extended their unbeaten run to four matches as Walsall's first game in a month ended in defeat.
The Seagulls were rewarded for their bright start in the eighth minute when Glenn Murray collected Elliott Bennett's pass to fire home.
Walsall pulled level when Marc Richards powered in a drive, but Nicky Forster's clever volley restored Brighton's lead.
It proved to be the winner, though Adam Virgo had to clear off his line from Troy Deeney's shot to seal it.
Brighton boss Gus Poyet told BBC Sussex:
"It's one of the best so far because people remember only the good performances on good pitches on TV. The pitch today was difficult.
"I said before the game, the players deserve all the credit because the conditions were very difficult. Pleased to win and the way in which we did it."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 16 January 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Walsall
1-2
Brighton
FT
(HT 1-2)
Richards 26
Murray 8
Forster 37
Walsall
01 Ince
03 Sansara
05 Hughes
16 Westlake
06 Smith
08 Mattis
12 Bradley (O'Keefe 69)
18 Till (Parkin 69)
20 Richards
10 Deeney
27 Byfield
Substitutes
21 Gilmartin,
14 Taundry,
19 Vincent,
28 McDonald,
15 O'Keefe,
09 Parkin,
11 Nicholls
Brighton
01 Kuipers
04 Elphick yellow card
19 Calderon
22 Painter
23 Virgo
08 Navarro
18 Dicker
20 Crofts
26 Bennett
09 Forster (Dickinson 76)
17 Murray
Substitutes
29 Brezovan,
03 McNulty,
12 Tunnicliffe,
07 Cox,
15 Hart,
21 Carole,
10 Dickinson
Ref: Horwood
WALSALL
BRIGHTON
Possession
Walsall44%
Brighton56%
Attempts on target
Walsall4
Brighton5
Attempts off target
Walsall3
Brighton6
Corners
Walsall5
Brighton11
Fouls
Walsall7
Brighton12
Full Time
90:00+5:26 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00+4:22 Netan Sansara gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Liam Dickinson. Alan Navarro takes the direct free kick.
90:00+3:01 Effort from outside the area by Mark Hughes goes wide right of the goal.
90:00+1:30 The assistant referee signals for offside against Glenn Murray. Netan Sansara restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+0:54 Troy Deeney takes a shot. Blocked by Tommy Elphick.
86:15 Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save by Clayton Ince.
85:05 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Darren Byfield by Inigo Calderon. A cross is delivered by Matthew Richards, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Sam Parkin goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
84:48 Booking Inigo Calderon booked.
83:50 Matthew Richards takes a shot. Michel Kuipers makes a save.
80:11 Darren Byfield concedes a free kick for a foul on Inigo Calderon. Indirect free kick taken by Michel Kuipers.
79:38 The offside flag is raised against Glenn Murray. Mark Hughes restarts play with the free kick.
78:16 Free kick awarded for a foul by Liam Dickinson on Dwayne Mattis. Matthew Richards takes the free kick.
76:19 The assistant referee flags for offside against Darren Byfield. Michel Kuipers takes the free kick.
75:27 Substitution Liam Dickinson is brought on as a substitute for Nicky Forster.
74:27 Elliott Bennett decides to take a short corner.
71:10 Netan Sansara concedes a free kick for a foul on Glenn Murray. Elliott Bennett restarts play with the free kick.
70:20 Glenn Murray is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Clayton Ince takes the indirect free kick.
69:20 Long range shot by Josh O'Keefe goes wide right of the goal.
68:39 Substitution (Walsall) makes a substitution, with Josh O'Keefe coming on for Mark Bradley.
68:19 Substitution Sam Parkin is brought on as a substitute for Peter Till.
65:44 Inswinging corner taken by Peter Till from the left by-line, Gary Dicker manages to make a clearance.
64:04 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Darren Byfield by Inigo Calderon. Free kick taken by Matthew Richards.
61:55 Elliott Bennett takes a outswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Peter Till.
61:47 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Elliott Bennett.
60:50 Corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line to the near post, Nicky Forster takes a shot. Darryl Westlake gets a block in.
57:46 Emmanuele Smith takes a shot. Save by Michel Kuipers.
57:18 Corner taken left-footed by Matthew Richards, Gary Dicker manages to make a clearance.
56:39 Alan Navarro challenges Mark Bradley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Mark Hughes.
54:51 Foul by Andrew Crofts on Mark Bradley, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Matthew Richards.
52:45 Darren Byfield fouled by Inigo Calderon, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Peter Till.
52:18 The assistant referee flags for offside against Glenn Murray. Free kick taken by Clayton Ince.
51:07 Short corner worked by Elliott Bennett.
49:52 Peter Till takes a outswinging corner.
49:18 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Matthew Richards.
47:52 Corner taken left-footed by Matthew Richards, Adam Virgo manages to make a clearance.
45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:34 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+1:54 Mark Bradley takes a shot. Michel Kuipers makes a save.
45:00+0:01 Effort from deep inside the area by Darren Byfield misses to the right of the target.
43:22 Booking Tommy Elphick receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
43:03 Tommy Elphick gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Darren Byfield. Matthew Richards takes the free kick.
41:29 Elliott Bennett takes the outswinging corner, Effort from outside the penalty box by Alan Navarro goes wide left of the goal.
40:47 Corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line, Nicky Forster takes a shot. Emmanuele Smith gets a block in.
40:03 Darren Byfield concedes a free kick for a foul on Marcos Painter. Direct free kick taken by Marcos Painter.
Correction - 36:49 GOAL - Nicky Forster:Walsall 1 - 2 Brighton Nicky Forster scores a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Walsall 1-2 Brighton.
36:49 GOAL - Tommy Elphick:Walsall 1 - 2 Brighton Tommy Elphick gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Walsall 1-2 Brighton.
Correction - 36:19 Corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line,
36:19 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Elliott Bennett,
32:23 The referee blows for offside against Glenn Murray. Free kick taken by Clayton Ince.
29:54 Nicky Forster has a shot on goal from outside the area which misses right.
28:27 The referee penalises Nicky Forster for handball. Direct free kick taken by Emmanuele Smith.
27:08 The referee blows for offside against Nicky Forster. Clayton Ince takes the free kick.
25:30 GOAL - Matthew Richards:Walsall 1 - 1 Brighton Goal scored by Matthew Richards from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Walsall 1-1 Brighton.
24:34 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Hughes by Glenn Murray. Free kick crossed right-footed by Peter Till from left channel, clearance by Tommy Elphick.
23:52 Tommy Elphick challenges Troy Deeney unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Matthew Richards, Inigo Calderon manages to make a clearance.
23:27 Nicky Forster concedes a free kick for a foul on Darryl Westlake. Clayton Ince restarts play with the free kick.
21:00 Glenn Murray takes a shot. Clayton Ince makes a save.
18:08 Tommy Elphick challenges Darren Byfield unfairly and gives away a free kick. Matthew Richards crosses the ball in from the free kick, Michel Kuipers makes a save.
16:51 Inswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the left by-line played to the near post, Headed effort from inside the area by Gary Dicker misses to the left of the goal.
16:32 Nicky Forster takes a shot. Emmanuele Smith gets a block in.
15:50 Foul by Dwayne Mattis on Alan Navarro, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Tommy Elphick.
13:39 Unfair challenge on Marcos Painter by Troy Deeney results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Marcos Painter.
11:26 Nicky Forster has an effort at goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
10:08 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line, save by Clayton Ince.
8:55 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marcos Painter on Troy Deeney. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Matthew Richards from right wing.
7:57 Assist on the goal came from Elliott Bennett.
7:57 GOAL - Glenn Murray:Walsall 0 - 1 Brighton A goal is scored by Glenn Murray from deep inside the penalty area low into the middle of the goal. Walsall 0-1 Brighton.
7:01 Unfair challenge on Nicky Forster by Mark Bradley results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Alan Navarro.
5:05 Corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the left by-line played to the near post, Matthew Richards manages to make a clearance.
2:19 The assistant referee flags for offside against Glenn Murray. Indirect free kick taken by Clayton Ince.
1:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Mark Bradley on Andrew Crofts. Nicky Forster restarts play with the free kick.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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