Goals in each half from Tommy Elphick and Gary Dicker saw off struggling Exeter and gave in-form Brighton a first home league win since October.
Elphick rose to meet Elliott Bennett's corner and put the Seagulls ahead with a powerful header.
Dicker then made the points safe in magnificent style with a thunderous 25-yard volley.
The Grecians offered little in attack but Neil Saunders should have done better with a free header late on.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet told BBC Sussex:
"The key is that we deserved to win the game. We were brave from the beginning and created chances, we scored and we believed.
"We can train a thousand things, but if the players don't do it, it doesn't matter. All the credit to the players. It was important to win after the two results away from home.
"I don't know if Gary Dicker has scored a better goal. The win today is especially for the fans. They were waiting for that."
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"We're disappointed, I think our first-half was below par, but the second-half we were up to speed.
"We're not at a level where we can afford to have that type of half.
"Second-half we did our fair share and we were unfortunate to concede, but the level is such that we have to be right every game."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 27 February 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
2-0
Exeter
FT
(HT 1-0)
Elphick 26
Dicker 49
Brighton
29 Brezovan
04 Elphick
06 El-Abd
19 Calderon
22 Painter
08 Navarro
11 LuaLua (Holroyd 69)
18 Dicker
20 Crofts
26 Bennett
17 Murray (Hart 82)
Substitutes
01 Kuipers,
03 McNulty,
27 Hoyte,
15 Hart,
21 Carole,
09 Forster,
33 Holroyd
Exeter
27 Jones
02 Tully
03 Duffy yellow card (Fleetwood 65)
06 Taylor
11 Golbourne
15 Edwards
07 Harley yellow card
18 Saunders
22 Sercombe
16 Stewart (Logan 59)
50 Haber (Dunne 66 yellow card)
Substitutes
01 Marriott,
26 Bennett,
14 Cozic,
21 Dunne,
10 McAllister ,
20 Logan,
45 Fleetwood
Ref: RushtonAtt: 6,952
BRIGHTON
EXETER
Possession
Brighton52%
Exeter48%
Attempts on target
Brighton3
Exeter0
Attempts off target
Brighton5
Exeter4
Corners
Brighton8
Exeter4
Fouls
Brighton9
Exeter11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:16 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
90:00+1:17 Booking James Dunne receives a caution.
90:00+0:20 Shot by James Dunne from outside the box goes over the net.
88:41 Neil Saunders has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.
86:36 Gary Hart takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.
85:07 Inigo Calderon takes a shot. Corner taken by James Dunne played to the near post, Gary Hart makes a clearance. Save by Paul Jones.
82:38 Liam Sercombe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andrew Crofts. Indirect free kick taken by Alan Navarro.
81:28 Substitution Glenn Murray goes off and Gary Hart comes on.
80:02 Corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line to the near post, Steve Tully manages to make a clearance.
79:02 The referee blows for offside against Glenn Murray. Free kick taken by Rob Edwards.
77:41 The assistant referee flags for offside against Glenn Murray. Steve Tully restarts play with the free kick.
77:08 Alan Navarro challenges Ryan Harley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ryan Harley takes the indirect free kick.
75:58 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marcos Painter by Richard Logan. Peter Brezovan restarts play with the free kick.
72:18 Effort from just outside the area by Andrew Crofts goes over the target.
70:47 Richard Logan fouled by Gary Dicker, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Matthew Taylor.
68:14 Substitution Chris Holroyd comes on in place of Kazenga LuaLua.
67:02 Shot by Richard Logan from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
66:25 The referee blows for offside. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Harley.
64:22 Paul Jones takes the free kick.
64:22 Substitution (Exeter) makes a substitution, with James Dunne coming on for Marcus Haber.
64:22 Substitution Stuart Fleetwood on for Richard Duffy.
64:22 Unfair challenge on Paul Jones by Glenn Murray results in a free kick.
62:13 Alan Navarro crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance made by Richard Duffy.
62:13 Booking Ryan Harley receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
62:02 Unfair challenge on Glenn Murray by Ryan Harley results in a free kick.
61:20 Effort from outside the penalty box by Liam Sercombe goes wide left of the target.
60:50 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Rob Edwards by Glenn Murray. Indirect free kick taken by Rob Edwards.
58:35 Richard Duffy delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, Andrew Crofts manages to make a clearance. Ryan Harley takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by Glenn Murray. Corner from the right by-line taken by Ryan Harley,
58:35 Substitution Marcus Stewart goes off and Richard Logan comes on.
58:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Adam El-Abd on Marcus Haber.
55:45 Neil Saunders is caught offside. Peter Brezovan takes the free kick.
53:23 Handball decision goes against Matthew Taylor. Elliott Bennett delivers the ball, Adam El-Abd produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.
52:05 Booking Booking for Richard Duffy.
51:25 Alan Navarro challenges Marcus Haber unfairly and gives away a free kick. Rob Edwards restarts play with the free kick.
48:56 GOAL - Gary Dicker:Brighton 2 - 0 Exeter A goal is scored by Gary Dicker. Brighton 2-0 Exeter.
47:01 Corner taken right-footed by Ryan Harley from the right by-line, save by Peter Brezovan.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:19 The players leave the pitch at half time.
44:48 Free kick awarded for a foul by Ryan Harley on Glenn Murray. Shot on goal comes in from Elliott Bennett from the free kick, save by Paul Jones.
44:21 Gary Dicker is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Paul Jones takes the free kick.
40:44 Matthew Taylor concedes a free kick for a foul on Glenn Murray.
39:48 Corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line to the near post, save made by Paul Jones.
38:39 Foul by Liam Sercombe on Kazenga LuaLua, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Elliott Bennett.
37:11 Corner from left by-line taken by Elliott Bennett.
33:43 Foul by Scott Golbourne on Elliott Bennett, free kick awarded. Elliott Bennett crosses the ball in from the free kick, Steve Tully manages to make a clearance. Inswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the left by-line, save by Paul Jones.
31:38 Scott Golbourne fouled by Glenn Murray, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Rob Edwards.
27:03 Glenn Murray gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Rob Edwards. Indirect free kick taken by Paul Jones.
Correction - 25:41 GOAL - Tommy Elphick:Brighton 1 - 0 Exeter Tommy Elphick finds the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Brighton 1-0 Exeter.
Correction - 25:41 Assist on the goal came from Elliott Bennett.
25:41 The assist for the goal came from Elliott Bennett.
25:41 GOAL - Adam El-Abd:Brighton 1 - 0 Exeter Adam El-Abd grabs a headed goal from close range. Brighton 1-0 Exeter.
Correction - 25:09 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett,
25:09 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett from the left by-line,
Correction - 24:21 The referee blows for offside against Glenn Murray. Paul Jones takes the indirect free kick.
24:21 Glenn Murray is flagged offside by the assistant referee.
22:07 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marcos Painter on Liam Sercombe. Matthew Taylor restarts play with the free kick.
18:50 Rob Edwards gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Glenn Murray. Direct free kick taken by Inigo Calderon.
15:41 Foul by Ryan Harley on Inigo Calderon, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Inigo Calderon.
14:24 Kazenga LuaLua produces a left-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.
12:47 Rob Edwards challenges Glenn Murray unfairly and gives away a free kick. Elliott Bennett restarts play with the free kick.
10:15 Foul by Matthew Taylor on Glenn Murray, free kick awarded. Gary Dicker takes the free kick.
8:03 Corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett to the near post, Steve Tully manages to make a clearance.
Correction - 7:49 Inswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line played to the near post, Steve Tully manages to make a clearance.
7:16 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line.
4:38 Inswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line.
0:00 The match has kicked off.
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