Brighton 2, Shakers 1: PLAYER-MANAGER Andy Preece scored for 10-man Shakers, after centre-half Danny Swailes had been controversially sent off at the end of the first half.

But it was not enough to help Bury claw back a two goal deficit, after two strikes by the home side in the opening period.

Despite the good news from the High Court just 24 hours previously, Bury's on-the-field troubles continued. But Preece was happy with the spirited performance his team put up against Peter Taylor's side who lie second in the Division Two table.

Defeat at a rain-drenched and muddy Withdean has dropped the Shakers into the relegation zone on goal difference.

Their determined display against the odds after the break emphasised just how competitive the division is, with so little to choose between two sides separated now by 19 places in the Division Two league table. No fewer than 15 of Brighton's 21 victories have been by the odd goal. It looked like being more comfortable than that following the turning point and talking point of the match just before half time. Bobby Zamora, running onto a pass down the left flank from Kerry Mayo, was brought down inside the box by Danny Swailes.

Ref Joe Ross was perfectly placed to award what appeared to be a fairly obvious penalty, but Swailes clearly felt Zamora had made a meal of it. The aggrieved centre half stupidly shoved over Zamora and received a straight red card prior to the Albion marksman sending Paddy Kenny the wrong way from the spot.

It doubled the advantage created by a moment of misfortune for Kenny midway through the half.

Paul Brooker climaxed a typically tricky run with a slide-rule pass into the path of the advancing Junior Lewis inside the area. His precise right-foot drive rebounded off the base of a post and in off the diving keeper. At half time it seemed nothing more than a damage limitation exercise for Bury, but they were not dead and buried. Paul Watson nodded a Jason Jarrett header off the line and player-manager Andy Preece halved his side's deficit from close range after Michel Kuipers failed to hold a low cross at his near post.

Kuipers made amends five minutes from the finish of a fraught contest for the Seagulls with a spectacular save from George Clegg's goalbound free-kick from long range.

Preece, who replaced himself shortly after scoring, said: "I was so proud of the players to wipe away the memory of what happened just before half time and play 45 minutes like that against the team second in the League.

"It was a credit to them and the club. If it had not been for a magnificent save we would have got a point, which I felt we deserved."

Meanwhile Brighton realised that they owed much to their Dutch goalkeeper, with Taylor's assistant Bob Booker saying: "That's Michel all over.

"He wasn't called upon much and then he pulled out a fantastic save."