Alan Pouton's 80th-minute winner took Grimsby off the bottom of the table and dumped Brighton in last place.

The defeat increases the pressure on Seagulls boss Martin Hinshelwood, whose side have lost their last nine league outings.

Bobby Zamora marked his return to first-team action after a knee injury with a goal but it was not enough to end the home side's losing streak.

The Mariners drew first blood in the second minute as Darren Barnard took advantage of some slack defending and drew Albion goalkeeper Michels Kuipers before slotting home.

Richard Carpenter's ninth-minute shot from 25 yards was held by Danny Coyne in the Grimsby goal.

Within a minute, Darren Mansaram almost made it two for Paul Groves' side, but he saw his great left-footed effort rebound off the woodwork.

Paul Watson forced Coyne into action at the start of the second-half with a free-kick from 20 yards that the Mariners' keeper had to parry.

Zamora gave the home fans hope on 71 minutes when he latched onto Charlie Oatway's cross and clipped in the leveller.

But nine minutes later, Pouton extinguished the hope by restoring the Mariners' lead.

The midfielder thought he had scored shortly before when his free-kick had found the net, but the referee ordered the kick to be retaken.

Pouton was not to be denied a second time, though, and he drilled in with his right foot from 20 yards to earn his side their first win of the season.

To complete Brighton's misery, Zamora limped off with an injury seven minutes from time.

Brighton: Kuipers, Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Virgo, Hart, Oatway, Brooker, Carpenter, Zamora, Barrett. Subs: Rogers, Marney, Melton, Hammond, Petterson.

Grimsby: Coyne, McDermott, Groves, Ford, Gallimore, Pouton, Coldicott, Campbell, Barnard, Mansaram, Robinson. Subs: Raven, Cooke, Rowan, Santos, Allaway.

Referee: M Warren (W Midlands).