AN own goal from captain Matt Kilgallon condemned poor Rovers to back-to-back home defeats and ended the travel-sick Seagulls’ seven-game wait for an away win.

Kilgallon put through his own net in a truly grim first half at an understandably flat Ewood Park.

And while Rovers improved after the restart, forcing David Stockdale into two top-class saves, the damage had already been done.

Brighton had scored just one goal in their previous six winless away matches.

But they had the chance to double that tally in the third minute after a poor Alex Baptiste clearance led to Jay Spearing giving away a silly foul near the touchline.

Emmanuel Ledesma swung over the resulting free kick and Gordon Greer wasted a decent opportunity to score against his former club, the Seagulls skipper heading well wide.

But Chris O’Grady – the scorer of Brighton’s only goal on their travels since January 10, a penalty in a 2-1 defeat at Reading – went closer still in the 10th minute.

Beram Kayal played the ball through to the striker and he checked back on to his right foot before firing against the outside of the post with Jason Steele beaten.

Woefully lacklustre Rovers were struggling to string two passes together and, after the recalled Chris Brown became the latest player to give the ball away needlessly, Joao Teixeira tried his luck from 25 yards, this time Steele having the effort covered.

The Seagulls, however, were not to be denied and they took a deserved lead in the 26th minute.

The ball was worked out to the right to O’Grady and his inviting cross was spectacularly headed into his own net by Kilgallon.

Rovers, who were pedestrian in everything they did in the opening period, thought they had equalised seven minutes later when Ben Marshall’s cross was dropped into his own goal by Stockdale.

But referee Stuart Attwell ruled Jordan Rhodes had fouled the Seagulls goalkeeper when challenging for the ball.

The underworked Stockdale then palmed the ball out from underneath his own bar after Greer sent an attempted clearance from a corner heading toward the goal.

But had it not been for the outstretched fingertips of Steele, Brighton would have doubled their advantage after Teixeira got in between Kilgallon and Baptiste and got off a quick shot.

Stockdale was then tested for the first time as he dived to his right to deny Marshall.

But that did not stop Rovers from getting booed off at the interval. They could have no complaints.

Brighton started the second half the stronger, too, with Baptiste turning a dangerous Teixeira cross just wide, so it came as no surprise when Gary Bowyer made a double change in the 54th minute.

Brown and Taylor were the men to make way with joint top-scorer Rudy Gestede and Tommy Spurr their replacements.

The double change did the trick as, almost immediately, Rovers began to play with a sense of urgency that had been sorely lacking in their performance.

Firstly Kilgallon sent a weak volley from a Cairney free kick straight down Stockdale’s throat.

And then Cairney cut back on to his left foot and swung over a cross to the near post where Rhodes guided a deft header toward the bottom corner.

But Stockdale was equal to it, pushing the ball on to the post and back to Rhodes, whose attempts to play the ball back to the waiting was Gestede were thwarted.

Gestede then powered a header from a Spearing corner straight into Stockdale’s hands before Rhodes and Adam Henley combined to give Marshall a shooting opportunity in a crowded box.

But his back-heal got stuck between his legs and the Seagulls, who by that stage had become more and more pressed back, cleared the danger.

Rhodes should have tested Stockdale in the 73rd minute after Kilgallon’s clever kick gave him space to shoot and Gestede would have been disappointed not to hit the target after he connected with a Spurr long throw.

Gestede, however, did make a difference and, after he nodded down a free kick, Baptiste turned the ball back to Markus Olsson, whose fiercely struck first-time drive would have found the top corner had it not been for Stockdale’s flying stop.

But that was the last time his goal was threatened.

Rovers: Steele, Henley, Baptiste, Kilgallon, Olsson, Taylor (Spurr 54), Spearing, Cairney, Marshall, Rhodes, Brown (Gestede 54). Subs not used: Eastwood, Williamson, Songo’o, Lenihan, Mahoney.

Brighton: Stockdale, Bruno, Halford, Greer, Bennett, Ince, Kayal, Stephens, Ledesma (Calderon 68), O’Grady, Teixeira (Forster-Caskey 88). Subs not used: Walton, Hughes, Holla, LuaLua, Mackail-Smith.

Booked: Ledesma.

Goal: Kilgallon OG 26.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Attendance: 13,605.