Brighton leapt above Town to the top of the Championship table after defeating the now-third Blues 3-2 at Portman Road. Two goals in two minutes from Kazenga LuaLua and Tomer Hemed gave the Seagulls a deserved 2-0 half-time lead before the Blues hit back via Freddie Sears and sub David McGoldrick’s penalty but Hemed won it with his second of the afternoon.

Josh Emmanuel, 18, was handed his home debut at right-back with Christophe Berra absent with a hamstring injury. Skipper Luke Chambers moved to the centre of the defence.

Dean Gerken continued in goal with Bartosz Bialkowski on the bench having returned from Poland following his father’s death last weekend.

Brett Pitman and Freddie Sears started up front with David McGoldrick amongst the subs having played the full 120 minutes at Doncaster on Tuesday.

New signing Piotr Malarczyk’s international clearance came through in time for the Polish defender to take a place amongst the subs. Brighton included former Town loanees David Stockdale and Liam Rosenior.

Within a minute of the start Pitman and Brighton defender Uwe Hünemeier both required treatment after clashing heads but both were OK to continue.

The visitors began the game brightly and in the fifth minute LuaLua hit a low shot which Gerken got down to save.

Brighton continued to look the more threatening side and in the 10th minute they went in front. Gaetan Bong played a long ball down the Blues right in behind Emmanuel and Chambers couldn’t get across to cover before LuaLua hit a low shot across Gerken and into the corner of the net.

The former Newcastle youngster celebrated with a somersault which ended with him falling over, although he probably didn’t care too much about the jeers from the Town support having scored his fourth goal of the season.

Two minutes later, it was 2-0. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, celebrating his 18th birthday, picked up an wanted card of the yellow variety for a foul on LuaLua midway inside the Town half on the left. Dale Stephens floated a freekick into the area and Hemed claimed the merest of touches with his head as the ball beat Gerken to his left.

The Blues began to get into the game more as the 20-minute mark approached, Pitman should have found Sears with a pass on the edge of the area but Hünemeier cut it out.

Two minutes later, after former Blues loanee Rosenior had scraped a shot wide, Maitland-Niles played in Sears on the right of the area following Emmanuel’s quickly taken freekick but no one was running into the area to get on to the striker’s low cross.

Town should have found themselves 3-0 behind in the 23rd minute when Sam Baldock got in behind the Blues backline from another long Bong ball from the back but the former West Ham and MK Dons man shot wide when he ought to have scored.

In the 36th minute Hünemeier joined Maitland-Niles in referee Keith Hill’s book for catching Sears with an elbow.

Gerken did well to punch Hünemeier’s header from under his bar as two Brighton players ran in to add the final touch on 39 before Sears hit Town’s first shot of the afternoon from a tight angle on the right, Stockdale claiming comfortably.

Hünemeier will have counted himself lucky to still be on the pitch in the 42nd minute when he caught Fraser with a studs-up, very high boot on the right, not far outside the penalty area. Referee Hill somehow avoided showing a second yellow card to the already-booked German.

From the freekick, Fraser laid the ball across to Pitman, who left it for Sears but the former Colchester man’s powerful shot flew wide.

As the half moved into injury time Bong blocked off Emmanuel and was booked for an offence which was nowhere near as serious as Hünemeier’s a few minutes earlier. Shortly before the whistle, Bruno scuffed a shot wide from just outside the area.

The scoreline was a fair reflection of the half as a whole and the Blues really ought to have been three goals behind, Baldock having missed a golden opportunity.

The visitors had controlled the game for long spells with LuaLua always a threat. When the Blues did have the ball all too often it was lost before a chance could be created and Stockdale hadn’t been forced to make a serious save.

However, Town will feel that the Seagulls ought to have been reduced to 10 men with Hünemeier’s foul on Fraser well worthy of a second yellow card.

Just prior to the end of the half McGoldrick ran along the touchline to the dressing room and the striker was introduced at the start of the second half for Maitland-Niles, while new signing Piotr Malarczyk was given a quick debut in place of Emmanuel. The Pole went to the centre of the defence with Chambers switching to right-back.

Brighton, probably wisely, withdrew Hünemeier with Lewis Dunk taking over at the centre of their defence.

The Blues began to put the visitors under some early pressure, Sears beating Bong and his blocked shot rebounding to McGoldrick, whose effort from a tight angle was deflected behind.

The Seagulls were inches from making it 3-0 in the 51st minute when Stephens hit a low shot from the edge of the area which beat Gerken but struck his post. Chambers cleared the loose ball. Moments later, following a corner, LuaLua shot well wide.

Town felt they ought to have been awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute when Dunk appeared to use his arm as Fraser looked to get on to a Jonas Knudsen long throw down the left. Referee Hill awarded just a corner.

From the flag-kick, Brighton failed to clear and Malarczyk eventually slammed home what would have been a debut goal but for the linesman’s already raised flag.

However, a Town goal wasn’t too much longer in coming. McGoldrick, playing in a deep role behind the main strikers, found Fraser, who fed Pitman on the left, inside the area. The former Bournemouth man hit a low shot which beat Stockdale but struck the post, however, Sears was on hand to slam into the net to claim his third goal of the season.

Town had been a much better prospect after the break but on 56 Hemed got away behind the Blues defence and again should have made it 3-0, however, he lashed his shot the wrong side of the post.

The Seagulls continued to look dangerous on the break, Beran Kayal shot just over on 61, before Pitman was booked for a foul on Baldock.

But four minutes later the Blues got back on terms. Fraser looked to get onto Bruno’s poor defensive header just inside the area and as the Scottish U21 international tried to take the ball away the full-back brought him down.

On this occasion referee Hill pointed straight to the spot and McGoldrick beat Stockdale to the keeper’s left, even if he appeared to scuff his third goal of the campaign.

But parity wasn’t to last too long. LuaLua’s 67th minute cross from the left deflected off Chambers and Hemed headed his second of the afternoon off Tommy Smith’s arm and past Gerken, who was probably wrong-footed by the deflection.

Giles Coke immediately replaced Skuse as the Blues went about the task of getting back on terms once again. On 73 Sears punched away a Sears cross but with no Town player able to get onto the loose ball.

Brighton continued to present a danger, Baldock seeing a 75th minute strike deflect over before Smith was forced to nod Hemed’s goal-bound header from off the line.

Coke shot well over on 79, then a minute later Fraser screwed an effort wide, before Dunk headed over from a freekick at the other end.

On 85 Malarczyk lost possession to Rosenior on the Blues left and the former Hull City man brought the ball into the box before hitting a low shot which Gerken did well to save.

Three minutes later, following a corner, Sears whipped over a superb cross from the left but no one could add the final touch and Stockdale gratefully claimed.

LuaLua and Fraser were booked deep into five minutes of injury time after the Brighton man claimed the Town winger had dived inside the area. Soon after Knudsen joined them for a foul on LuaLua as he broke.

The Blues had huffed and puffed during additional time but never seriously looked like getting back on terms and overall the visitors deserved the three points which sees them replace Town at the top of the table.

Having been very much second best in the first half, Town, who missed Christophe Berra at one of the field and Daryl Murphy at the other, battled their way back into the game after the break, although Brighton could easily have been even further in front by that stage.

Had the Seagulls not scored so soon after the equaliser then Town might have gone on to claim a point or all three but the Blues lost the momentum their two goals had given them.

Following the international break, Town are next in action away against Reading in a live Sky game on Friday 11th September.

Town: Gerken, Emmanuel (Malarczyk 46), Chambers, Smith, Knudsen, Skuse (Coke 67), Douglas, Fraser, Maitland-Niles (McGoldrick 46), Pitman, Sears. Unused: Bialkowski, Kenlock, Tabb, Touré.

Brighton: Stockdale, Bruno, Greer, Hünemeier (Dunk 46), Bong, Rosenior, Stephens, Kayal, LuaLua, Hemed (Zamora 78), Baldock (Ince 83). Unused: Maenpaa, Murphy, March, Forster-Caskey. Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire). Att: 21,034 (Brighton: 1,132)

Photo: Action Images

terryf added 18:29 - Aug 29 We missed key players in Berra, Murphy,Bru and Bishop but have to accept Brighton were at it from the off and we could have been 3 nil down in the first half. Thought Gerkin could have done better with first two goals, although we did rally well in the second half. McGoldrick made a big difference and Freddy worked his socks off for the whole match. That said the reshuffled back four in the second half looked decidely shaky and the new lad had a difficult introduction to the Championship. I think he found the pace of the game was probably quicker than what he has been used to. However disappointing as it is to lose today, at the beginning of the season we would have been happy to end August with 10 points from five games.

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Surco72 added 18:30 - Aug 29 Said a few games ago the goal keepers and right back position is a weak area for us but if we keep scoring two we may get away with it - not today Certainly not the end of the world but would have been nice to be top going into the break but in a good position none the less .. Still believe we need a top keeper to gain auto promotion , hopefully polish boy will sort right back slot and pray Berra is not out for too long as two games played without him we have conceded 5 !!

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prebbs007 added 18:54 - Aug 29 Woeful woeful defending. When the best defender you have on the pitch is Tommy Smith you know you are in deep trouble. Unfortunately young Josh was shocking. Chambers ( the worst right back in the league ) was dreadful at CB and Jonas showed he really really has no right foot ( bit like Tommy ). Mr Warsaw looks to be very poor indeed ( won't judge him totally on that but he looked dire ). We totally missed Berra and could have conceded 10 today. And as for Gerken. What a total liability !!! Has he got glue on his backside connected to the goal line ??? Wot a joke !!! Bart has to play all the time. Skuse worse game for a long long time. Maybe some kind of injury ? Sears Didz and Fraser the only real bright spots of game that has shown our deficiencies up clearly.

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alfromcol added 19:14 - Aug 29 get a grip prebbs007
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senduntd added 19:20 - Aug 29 Poor referee , allowed their players to get away with some diabolical tackles. Should have sent their player off for a second yellow but he chickened out. Missed a blatant handball in the penalty area in the secong half.
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jas0999 added 19:27 - Aug 29 No excuses, I thought Brighton were good value for their win today. First half performance unacceptable, whilst I'm encouraged by the second half. No blame attached to youngsters such as Emmanuel or AMN. They will have good and bad days. Today was a bad day. I remain convinced however that the likes of Emmanuel, Kenlock and Yorworth are not yet ready for the first team and if we are serious about promotion, need to ensure we have senior cover to mitigate injuries. Today, it was unfair on Emmanuel. My biggest concerns though remain central midfield and the keeper. In regards to the latter Gerken proved again why he is a number two at best. I'm not a fan of BB if I'm honest and still feel we need to strengthen that position. Accept others don't. But central midfield was where the game was lost today. Douglas and Skuse both adequate players, but too similar. They were overrun and too defensive. Two down and that central position offers nothing to get back into the game. Our other options on the bench not good enough and similar too. Tabb and Coke (who was poor). Appreciate we have Bru and Bishop to come back, but will they score ten goals each? Time will tell. We have now signed a lot of players. But for me we should have signed a quality keeper, proper right back and attacking midfielder. Squad depth good, but still lacking necessary quality in SOME positions. As an attacking force we look excellent. We will lose games. We did today. But overall an outstanding month and with an addition or two, with a couple shipped out I'm confident we will be okay.

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VulpineBlue added 19:46 - Aug 29 Not too bothered to be honest. Brighton were excellent and deserved to win. But we had the best of the second half after MM &TC's adjustments. Unfortunate that Berra was missing, leaving young Emmanuel to face the best winger in the division. Also missed Murphy as in this type of game he can win the headers (Pitman hardly won any) and can hold the ball upfield preventing the midfield dropping too deep. Piotr plugged the hole well when he came on considering that he hasn't even had a training session with the team. I think both teams can moan about the ref who was very poor, missed a lot of things YET still managed to prevent the game developing any kind of rhythm. Freddie Sears was terrific as ever.

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StowTractorBoy added 19:54 - Aug 29 I am so gutted tonight as we defended so badly in the first half and unless this is remedied we will not be a top 6 team this season. Yes Lua Lua is a hand full but MM will have known this as most of us would but he was allowed to take us to the cleaners as I feared. Our defensive performance really must be a wake up call for Chambers who was very poor today and as for a former England and Ipswich Captain saying on the radio after the match that our right side was the only outlet for our creativity in the first half today beggars belief. Very brave of MM to play the polish centre half in the second half and once he has settled into English football I think he will be OK. Maybe he can be the wake up call for Chambers to pull his socks up. Freddie Sears undoubtedly our man of the match and McGoldrick made a difference but Murphy was missed as we won nothing in the air when the ball was pumped up to our forward players. A setback against a surprise packet in Brighton and the next two games will go some way as to where we will be this season as they are two tough away games. Finally a new goalkeeper would not go amiss as it such an important position and I feel we are vulnerable there. As MM said get the same ratio of points per game that we have achieved so far and we will get promoted !!!! Here is hoping.

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bushbaby7 added 19:58 - Aug 29 We lost to a very organised side today. I'm not concerned, we're only 5 games in and this is our first loss! It had to come at some point. Onwards and upwards! We have a very good squad this year and if we just get behind the team, I'm sure we'll do better than last season! If you want to blame someone, blame Brighton....they turned it up we didn't.
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blueboy1981 added 20:08 - Aug 29 Take it on the chin MM - tactics wrong from the start, as the first half proved. Generally speaking, I think the standard of Refereeing is not what it should be - but I see he's being blamed for the defeat by some, rather than accepting we were second best in just about every department. No point in camouflaging, or dodging the truth - we got what we deserved - NO POINTS.

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runaround added 20:09 - Aug 29 Gutted that we lost but to be fair Brighton were the better team & deserved to win. The first goal was a top class strike from Lua Lua but I feel we should have done better with the second & third goals. We were nearly always chasing the game which did leave us vulnerable to counter attack & Brighton controlled the game excellently for large parts. It's one loss, one game, we now 13 days break before our next little run of matches to put together another great run. It's important we recover quickly & move forward. COYB's

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pitseablue added 20:13 - Aug 29 Well said bushbaby. We must have been at the same game !! But my big concern today was with Gerken He never left his line, punched when a catch seemed the easier option, and is no way a back up keeper. We where very poor first half but looked like we could get something second half. Beaten by a far better team on the day. But we are only five games in, and as has already been written on here, yesterday we had the Championship in the bag.

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neillrumsey added 20:14 - Aug 29 Forgot to mention.....our football this season has been refreshing playing on the deck at pace. Today we played an excellent Brighton team who closed us down quickly but instead of moving the ball quickly we resorted to lumping the ball forward as last season.With Maitland Niles Sears Fraser McGoldrick and Pitman we have players who can play so keep it on the ground. We don't need to panic and hoof it forward

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blueherts added 20:40 - Aug 29 neillrumsey spot on with afew posts tonight - We did miss the influential Berra ,Bru Bart today Against Brighton Skuse and Douglas was too sluggish We need to remember we w have 5 players at least who want the ball on the deck and can and will play through teams It was abit too rushed at times and we gave the ball away alot But I think in part that was good high pressing by Brighton and a non existent CM Bru and Skuse is a better combination ( or Bish ) This squad is miles better than we have had for years and all the nelly negatives coming on just need to step back and be subjective and look at the month as a whole - Sheff Weds and Burnley are decent teams who we beat I am sure you never hear from some until we lose - Glass half empty brigade come out Lets just enjoy the good start we have had and realise that we were beaten by a better team on the day - we will learn from it

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blueherts added 20:50 - Aug 29 I think MM was done by his old mate Houghton today - very similar to the game at their place actually earlier in the year . I seem to remember that night we really struggled with some of their movement esp down our right - they had the Liverpool loannee then
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PJH added 20:51 - Aug 29 If we had got anything from that performance it certainly would not have been deserved. Brighton could and should have got more. I thought Freddie was playing them on his own at times although second half much better with Didz involved. Starting with two wingers did not work today and Skuse has been so consistently good for so long that I thought the only time you noticed him would be if he had a poor performance,today was that day. Some thinking needs to be done before we go again in a couple of weeks but I think whatever starting formation is decided on,it MUST include McG. It is still a very good start to the season so let's lick our wounds and go again after the break. COYB

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Cakeman added 21:41 - Aug 29 No complaints today I thought Brighton were good and they did to us what we did to Brentford away last season. We will need to tighten up defensively although we were a few players short today. 10 points from 5 games is very good so need to put this defeat out of our minds quickly.
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warktheline added 21:46 - Aug 29 Backed us to win today, but going 2 down so early on left a mountain to climb. I remember stating last season,after we lost to Brighton that Houghton would without doubt guide them to safety and improve thereafter. By all accounts they deserved the points, hats off to them, but as far as we are concerned it's far from doom and gloom. Let's hope our new additions help solve ' right-back' issues, and in doing so, force McCarthy to decide his best c/b pairing! Personally looking forward to seeing Bishop return, his positivity will only enhance and improve players such as Fraser, Sears, McGoldrick, Pitman and Murphy. We are well equipped to mount a promotion challenge this season, and personally I predict, without doubt, McCarthy's boys will.

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Jimmy86 added 21:53 - Aug 29 5 goal thriller, which we were sadly on the wrong end of today. Great advert for the championship, but sadly Brighton were just better than us today. Felt a bit sorry for Emmanuel, making his home debut, up against possibly the most in form winger in the championship at the moment, Lua Lua provided that bit of class that mattered. Brighton were good on the ball, but were also able to defend well. We were poor first half, but improved 2nd half and showed real character to bring it back to 2-2, Shame they scored a 3rd so quickly after. Gerken was poor today and doesn't leave his line or command his box well enough, the defence doesn't trust him and it shows. Bart back in after the break for me.

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BrettenhamBlue added 21:59 - Aug 29 Brighton were a way better team today but we've had a fantastic start to the season so far. As Jas0999 has already mentioned, youngsters like AMN and Emmanuel are going to have good and bad days because they are young. It's normal for youngsters to be inconsistent and it's important that they grow into the first team slowly. We looked way better when Malarcyk came on. That was a lot of pressure on Josh today in a top-of-the-table clash. Very solid debut from Malarcyk btw. Thought Douglas was solid but Skuse also had a pretty bad game. Sadly, when Skuse came off Coke then had an awful game and Douglas just ended up trying to cover him all the time. in my opinion we lack strength in depth and once we've had a few injuries (which normally happens around December) we do look ordinary. Got to admit, that was some of the worst central-midfield play I have ever seen in an ITFC shirt. Thought Knudsen looked solid. Smith was our best defender today. Chambers did ok but tried far too hard to cover the right-back position in the first half. Fraser was good again and Pittman, Sears and Mcgoldrick were very good up front. With Berra, Murphy, Hyam, Bru, Bishop and McDonnell out we do look like a very different side. Hopefully, when these guys are back are midfield (in particular) will shape up better. Our full strength side will look much different from today's. Fraser, Douglas, Bishop and Bru with AMN, Skuse, Tabb etc on the bench would be a different proposition. It's been a reality check today.

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GiveusaWave added 22:09 - Aug 29 Gutted today. New defensive signing did well. Tabb should have come on for Skuse. MM did the best he could with the players that are available to him. I normally say much more but just gutted. Break has come at a good time.
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essex57 added 22:17 - Aug 29 Poor first half could of won it in second doesn't take the Moaners long to creep out of the cupboard I thought the ref was a disgrace not fit to referee championship games with so much at stake
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No32 added 22:25 - Aug 29 If Gerken plays for us again, we're dropping down the table.... At best - we have 2 Back up keepers, but on this display - he's a mid league 1 player. Sort out the keeper situation - or we start dropping spectators and league places. PPoor.
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blueboy1981 added 22:29 - Aug 29 essex57 ............ poor excuse to blame the Referee - just accept we weren't good enough. As was plainly obvious - to all who weren't in denial. Yes, we had Players out - but it happens to all teams - not just US. Another lame excuse, but if it suits you - then fine.
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 00:30 - Aug 30 Haven't seen anything of the game but have read the match report and supporters post-match views. Obviously disappointed, but Brighton weren't in a false position before start of play. Early season contenders for a surprise promotion and take it they were largely deserving of their victory. Even with this setback we still find ourselves in a healthy position and in a place in the league many would have accepted without hesitation just a few weeks earlier. Would have wished for another fixure next weekend and to get back to winning ways as soon as possible, but if international soccer is of greater priority.. What is it, third in the league, first loss of the new campaign, trip to Old Trafford coming up, not to mention a fine assortment of players coming in and promise ahead - damn it we'll come back stronger next time and Yes, we will be involved again at the end of season - just like before.

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