The first chance of the game came from Gary Hart who shot just wide of Keith Welch's goal on six minutes. Paul McGregor went close at the other end, eight minutes later, curling a shot just over the cross bar.
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A minute later Sam Parkin headed against the foot of the post following Roy Hunters cross. This was the closest that Town would come to breaking the deadlock though and the home side got more into the game and took the lead just before half time. Paul Watson whipped in a cross that was drilled home from close range by the division's leading scorer Bobby Zamora.
Three minutes into the second half, Jamie Forrester curled a free kick over the Brighton wall but Michael Kuipers tipped the ball around the post for a corner. Moments later Ian Sampson headed across the face of goal, but Parkin and Forrester were both inches away from the final touch.
The home side made it 2-0 on the hour, Simon Morgan scored his first goal for the Seagulls from close range following Watson's cross.
Brighton controlled the game until full time without really creating many more chances, Zamora almost scored his second in the 71st minute, shooting just over the cross bar from a tight angle.