Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Blackburn Rovers
- From the section Football
Brighton made it three wins from four in the Championship with a hard-fought victory over winless Blackburn Rovers.
The only goal came when Sam Baldock played in Kazenga LuaLua, whose powerful shot beat David Raya and found the top corner against the run of play.
David Stockdale made a crucial second-half save to keep Brighton ahead when Nathan Delfouneso was through on goal.
The hosts grew into the game in the second half and were able to keep Rovers out and go second in the table.
Kick-off at the Amex Stadium was delayed for 15 minutes because of the plane crash at Shoreham Airshow.
But when the game did get under way it was Blackburn who made the better start, with both forward Fode Koita and winger Craig Conway forcing saves out of Stockdale.
Brighton made the visitors rue their missed chances when LuaLua rifled in from the edge of the box for his third goal of the season.
Stockdale then saved from Delfouneso before Shane Duffy wasted the chance to equalise in the last minute when he headed over from six yards.
Blackburn have now drawn two and lost two of their opening four games and drop into the bottom three.
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Brighton manager Chris Hughton: "Our keeper (David Stockdale) pulled off some really important saves and at this moment we are doing okay.
"The encouraging thing is that, although we didn't play particularly well, we are winning games. We were not at our best on a hot afternoon."
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer: "It's a difficult place to come to and Chris has done a great job with his recruitment, but we should have been 2-0 up after 20 minutes.
"We created a lot of chances and should have been out of sight after 25 minutes. Their keeper made two great saves.
"Going 1-0 down was harsh on us but we stuck at it and never stopped. We should have taken something away from here."
Line-ups
Brighton
- 13Stockdale
- 2Bruno
- 3GreerBooked at 46mins
- 4HünemeierBooked at 75mins
- 12Bong
- 15MurphySubstituted forMarchat 78'minutes
- 6Stephens
- 7KayalBooked at 72mins
- 30Lua LuaBooked at 90mins
- 10HemedSubstituted forO'Gradyat 88'minutes
- 9BaldockSubstituted forInceat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Mäenpää
- 5Dunk
- 11O'Grady
- 18Forster-Caskey
- 20March
- 23Rosenior
- 24Ince
Blackburn
- 33Raya
- 10MarshallBooked at 90mins
- 22DuffyBooked at 39mins
- 5Hanley
- 3Spurr
- 16LawrenceSubstituted forKilgallonat 83'minutes
- 23GuthrieBooked at 90mins
- 21Akpan
- 32Conway
- 8KoitaSubstituted forBarrowat 69'minutes
- 7Delfouneso
Substitutes
- 4Kilgallon
- 14Olsson
- 17Williamson
- 29Evans
- 30Steele
- 31Barrow
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 22,659
Match Stats
Home TeamBrightonAway TeamBlackburn
- Possession
- Home64%
- Away36%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home4
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away13
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Booking
Danny Guthrie (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Danny Guthrie (Blackburn Rovers).
Booking
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers).
Foul by Chris O'Grady (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Craig Conway with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Chris O'Grady replaces Tommer Hemed.
Foul by Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Modou Barrow (Blackburn Rovers).
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Rohan Ince replaces Sam Baldock.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Matthew Kilgallon replaces Tom Lawrence.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Gordon Greer.
Foul by Tommer Hemed (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Shane Duffy.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Solly March replaces Jamie Murphy.
Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Tom Lawrence tries a through ball, but Shane Duffy is caught offside.
Booking
Uwe Hünemeier (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Uwe Hünemeier (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Nathan Delfouneso (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Hope Akpan (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Gordon Greer (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers).
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Modou Barrow replaces Bangaly-Fodé Koita.
Attempt missed. Tommer Hemed (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Bruno.
Foul by Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Jamie Murphy.
