Brighton extended their lead at the top of League One to eight points as goals from Chris Wood and Glenn Murray helped defeat struggling Tranmere Rovers.
Wood gave the hosts a deserved lead from the penalty spot after Tranmere's Ian Goodison handled inside the area.
Seagulls' top scorer Glenn Murray made it 2-0 when he turned well and curled the ball into the top corner.
Tranmere's Enoch Showunmi shot wide and Lucas Akins had an effort parried by Brighton goalkeeper Casper Ankergren.
Brighton manager Gus Poyet told BBC Sussex: "I've said in the past., it will get more and more difficult. You cannot relax and you have to be very good to open up a defence like Tranmere today. It took a while to get going but I thought it was coming sooner or later.
"When these games come along you need someone to come up with something special to impose your quality. Glenn Murray did that. It was a terrific action, putting the ball where the keeper could not reach it.
"Credit to the players. When it's not easy and complicated like today, you need to bring something different. We are doing it and it's fantastic."
Tranmere manager Les Parry told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It is disappointing because the lads have worked their socks off and you can't go into the dressing room after a performance like that and give them stick.
"We got in some great positions especially in the last 15 minutes when we had opportunities to get decent balls in and we didn't put the keeper under pressure.
"We still need three or four wins and we're certainly capable of getting them and on that performance we're capable of getting four wins."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
2-0
Tranmere
FT
(HT 0-0)
Wood (pen) 63
Murray 71
Brighton
16 Ankergren
03 Greer yellow card
06 El-Abd
07 Bennett
10 Sparrow (Bridcutt 59)
14 Calderon
17 Murray
18 Dicker
22 Painter
25 Kishishev (Noone 60)
39 Wood (Barnes 77 yellow card)
Substitutes
01 Brezovan,
04 Elphick,
27 Taricco,
26 Bridcutt,
31 Noone,
09 Barnes,
21 Sandaza
Tranmere
01 Warner
03 Cresswell yellow card
05 Goodison
06 McChrystal
07 Showunmi yellow card
08 Welsh
09 Robinson
10 Weir yellow card
17 Kay
24 Bakayogo (McGurk 70)
27 Akins (Taylor 81)
Substitutes
13 Collister,
02 Cathalina,
12 Taylor,
14 Wood,
18 Blanchard,
25 Labadie,
26 McGurk
Ref: RushtonAtt: 7,461
BRIGHTON
TRANMERE
Possession
Brighton59%
Tranmere41%
Attempts on target
Brighton3
Tranmere2
Attempts off target
Brighton2
Tranmere1
Corners
Brighton3
Tranmere1
Fouls
Brighton9
Tranmere13
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:20 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
90:00+3:01 Ian Goodison fouled by Adam El-Abd, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Michael Kay.
90:00+2:07 Elliott Bennett takes a short corner.
90:00+1:37 Adam McGurk takes a shot. Save made by Casper Ankergren.
80:04 Aaron Cresswell concedes a free kick for a foul on Ashley Barnes. Free kick taken by Inigo Calderon.
80:04 Substitution Lucas Akins leaves the field to be replaced by Ash Taylor.
79:26 Booking Aaron Cresswell receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.
79:20 Booking Ashley Barnes goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
77:21 Ashley Barnes fouled by Aaron Cresswell, the ref awards a free kick. Gordon Greer restarts play with the free kick.
76:05 Substitution Ashley Barnes is brought on as a substitute for Chris Wood.
74:01 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Aaron Cresswell from the left by-line, save by Casper Ankergren.
70:49 Assist by Craig Noone.
70:49 GOAL - Glenn Murray:Brighton 2 - 0 Tranmere Glenn Murray fires in a goal from just outside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Brighton 2-0 Tranmere.
69:32 Substitution Adam McGurk comes on in place of Zoumana Bakayogo.
69:32 Foul by Robbie Weir on Elliott Bennett, free kick awarded. Casper Ankergren restarts play with the free kick.
69:32 Booking The referee books Robbie Weir for unsporting behaviour.
68:54 Glenn Murray takes a shot. Tony Warner makes a save.
68:06 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gary Dicker by Robbie Weir. Direct free kick taken by Gordon Greer.
63:14 Shot by Lucas Akins from 25 yards. Fantastic save by Casper Ankergren.
62:18 Handball decision goes against Ian Goodison.
62:18 GOAL - Chris Wood:Brighton 1 - 0 Tranmere Penalty scored by Chris Wood. Brighton 1-0 Tranmere.
59:08 Substitution Radostin Kishishev leaves the field to be replaced by Craig Noone.
58:44 Substitution Liam Bridcutt comes on in place of Matthew Sparrow.
58:11 Enoch Showunmi challenges Adam El-Abd unfairly and gives away a free kick. Casper Ankergren takes the direct free kick.
57:06 Elliott Bennett produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.
53:24 Unfair challenge on Radostin Kishishev by Robbie Weir results in a free kick. Casper Ankergren restarts play with the free kick.
51:36 John Welsh concedes a free kick for a foul on Glenn Murray. Radostin Kishishev delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
46:42 Unfair challenge on Lucas Akins by Radostin Kishishev results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Andy Robinson.
45:56 Foul by Aaron Cresswell on Glenn Murray, free kick awarded. Gordon Greer takes the free kick.
45:01 The match restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+3:11 It is the end of the first-half.
45:00+2:06 Enoch Showunmi produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that goes wide left of the target.
45:00+0:49 Enoch Showunmi concedes a free kick for a foul on Casper Ankergren. Casper Ankergren restarts play with the free kick.
45:00+0:49 Booking Booking for Enoch Showunmi.
41:58 Andy Robinson fouled by Matthew Sparrow, the ref awards a free kick. Aaron Cresswell delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, clearance by Glenn Murray.
40:44 Enoch Showunmi fouled by Gordon Greer, the ref awards a free kick. Aaron Cresswell takes the free kick.
40:44 Booking Gordon Greer is shown a yellow card.
38:42 Elliott Bennett takes a short corner.
37:45 Michael Kay gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Elliott Bennett. Elliott Bennett delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
29:19 Glenn Murray concedes a free kick for a foul on Ian Goodison. Tony Warner takes the direct free kick.
26:02 Shot from long range by Matthew Sparrow goes wide of the left-hand post.
22:53 Enoch Showunmi fouled by Radostin Kishishev, the ref awards a free kick. Aaron Cresswell takes the direct free kick.
21:52 Gordon Greer fouled by Zoumana Bakayogo, the ref awards a free kick. Casper Ankergren takes the free kick.
16:42 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on John Welsh by Matthew Sparrow. Direct free kick taken by Tony Warner.
16:14 Unfair challenge on Glenn Murray by Mark McChrystal results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Gary Dicker.
15:36 Matthew Sparrow takes a shot. Save by Tony Warner.
8:54 Elliott Bennett takes the inswinging corner, Michael Kay makes a clearance.
8:18 Zoumana Bakayogo is ruled offside. Casper Ankergren restarts play with the free kick.
7:22 Chris Wood gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ian Goodison. Tony Warner restarts play with the free kick.
3:38 Ian Goodison concedes a free kick for a foul on Adam El-Abd. Casper Ankergren takes the direct free kick.
2:53 Foul by Matthew Sparrow on Andy Robinson, free kick awarded. Andy Robinson takes the direct free kick.
0:32 The official flags Zoumana Bakayogo offside. Direct free kick taken by Gordon Greer.
0:00 The referee gets the game underway.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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