Brighton 1 Blackpool 0 : scorer: Crosby 57 The Seasiders dropped three vital points thanks to a bizarre goal at one end and some fantastic keeping at the other.

Andy Crosby was the lucky hero for Brighton when a goal line clearance by Danny Shittu rebounded off him into the net.

Steve McMahon welcomed back defenders John Hills and Tommy Jaszczun into the starting line-up, replacing Jon O'Connor and the injured Ian Hughes.

On-loan Richard Walker was on the bench with Lee Collins replacing him in a more familiar 4-4-2 formation.

A scrappy opening saw Richard Carpenter going close for Brighton in the second minute and when Watson's free kick was cleared to him 20 yards out his right foot shot flashed narrowly wide.

At the other end keeper Michel Kuipers showed what a fine shot-stopper he is diving to divert Ormerod's angled drive for a corner. Pool started to look brighter going forward with Ormerod heavily involved. He skipped away from a lunging tackle before whipping in a dangerous cross, which was headed behind for a corner.

In another attack Paul Simpson had a low cross shot from a tight angle pushed away at his near post by Kuipers.

Pool were now playing with confidence and a crisp move was ended by the covering Andy Crosby's clean tackle on Ormerod.

Bobby Zamora came close to scoring nine minutes from the break but it flew inches over the bar.

Disaster struck early on in the second half for defender John Hills who pulled up with what appeared to be a recurrence of hamstring trouble that has plagued him since preseason. With Hills still down injured play went on and Brighton forced a corner. It was taken by Paul Watson, who delivered deep to the far post. Shittu cleared the unmarked Paul Roger's downward header off the line, but the ball ricocheted off Crosby into the net. Albion came close soon after with a glancing header by Danny Cullip from another Watson corner, which was blocked in a crowded goalmouth. Pool broke instantly and it required a well-timed tackle by Mayo on Simpson as he was shaping to shoot.

Richard Walker came on for the unlucky Wellens and almost made an immediate impact. His shot looked certain for an equaliser on 83 minutes but Kuipers made a brilliant save to deny him. It was to be Pool's last chance.

Pool's narrow deficit was particularly rough on Danny Shittu, who had done an effective marking job on Zamora despite the Brighton striker staking his claim for an Oscar, with some obvious dives.

Team: Barnes, Coid, Hills, Jaszczun, Shittu, Wellens, Milligan, Collins, Simpson, Ormerod, Murphy