Town and Brighton are level at half-time with Luke Chambers having put the Blues in front but Tomer Hemed equalising from the penalty spot.

Myles Kenlock and Jordan Spence replaced the injured Steven Taylor and Christophe Berra as Mick McCarthy named the team which played much of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Aston Villa.

Kenlock was at left wing-back with Spence, Jonas Knudsen and captain Chambers the three-man backline, while Josh Emmanuel was the right wing-back. Bartosz Bialkowski was in goal.

In midfield, Toumani Diagouraga and Emyr Huws were joined by Grant Ward with Cole Skuse still out with an achilles injury. Up front, Tom Lawrence was again be partnered by David McGoldrick.

Brighton, who had ex-Town loanee David Stockdale in goal, were unchanged from the weekend 4-1 home win against Burton Albion.

The home side won two early freekicks with Kenlock somewhat harshly picking up the game’s first yellow card after less than a minute for fouling Solly March.

Chambers headed the first clear but Bialkowski allowed Knockaert’s second to slip through his fingers but fortunately Dale Stephens headed over from a tight angle at the far post.

Huws required treatment in the fifth minute after clashing heads with Bruno. The Wales international eventually left the pitch with blood pouring from a cut and went down the tunnel for stitches.

Town, wearing their Barcelona-style third kit, were still down to 10 men when they went in front in the eighth minute.

Lawrence was tripped not far outside the area on the left and the on-loan Leicester man whipped over a cross and skipper Chambers headed home his third goal of the season.

The celebrations were somewhat muted as the centre-half collided with Stockdale and his team-mates immediately calling for medical assistance.

After a lengthy period of treatment - with the home fans starting to boo and remonstrations from Bruno - the goalscorer returned to the pitch with the game having restarted moments earlier. Huws was still off the field.

On the quarter hour Lewis Dunk hooked straight at Bialkowski after Knockaert’s freekick from the left had reached him at the far post. Soon after, Huws returned to the action wearing a bandage and a numberless shirt.

Lawrence and McGoldrick exchanged passes in the 18th minute, Town’s top scorer feeding the Irish international, whose shot was deflected out for a corner.

Emmanuel became the second Town player to get his name in the book in the 20th minute for a foul on Tomer Hemed on the left.

The home side had had plenty of freekicks in the first quarter of the game but with the somewhat makeshift Blues backline so far managing to repel everything thrown at them, while Lawrence and McGoldrick both looked a threat when Town broke.

Albion continued to push for the equaliser and on 26 Knockaert was sent away on the right, cut in and hit a low shot which was too close to Bialkowski.

But three minutes later, they levelled from the penalty spot with Huws adjudged to have fouled Bruno as the Albion skipper got behind him on the right of the area.

The right-back made a lot of not very much - referee Roger East initially waved away Bruno’s appeal until his linesman indicated a spotkick - but Huws did appear to grab the Spaniard’s shirt. Hemed sent his penalty low to Bialkowski’s left and into the net.

It had been a feisty first half and Brighton striker Sam Baldock got his name in the book for kicking out at Knudsen as the pair chased a ball out of play.

On 35 McGoldrick probably should have put the Blues back in front after Ward's cutback from the right reached him on the penalty spot but the Blues number 10’s low effort was too close to Stockdale, who blocked.

Moments later, McGoldrick got his name in the book for fouling Steve Sidwell as the Seagulls counter-attacked.

Both sides had threatening moments during six minutes of injury time added on for the injuries to Huws and Chambers but without any further score before the break.

Town had had a decent half claiming the lead from the early set piece. The home side had a lot of the ball but created few clear-cut opportunities until the penalty which Bruno did as much as he could to win even if Huws had made some contact.

At the break there was some confusion as to whether Blues striker Lawrence had picked up a yellow card - which would see him miss the Leeds and Norwich matches - during the first half, apparently for dissent ahead of the penalty, although the scoreboard was wrongly indicating which players had been booked on a number of counts. Lawrence's booking and another for Chambers were later confirmed.

Brighton: Stockdale, Bruno (c), Duffy, Dunk, Pocognoli, Knockaert, Sidwell, Stephens, March, Baldock, Hemed. Walton, Tomori, Kayal, Skalak, Murphy, Akpom, Murray.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Emmanuel, Diagouraga, Huws, Ward, Kenlock, Lawrence, McGoldrick. Subs: Gerken, Pitman, Digby,, Bru, Sears, Douglas, Moore. Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire).

Photo: Action Images

blues1 added 21:40 - Feb 14 Phil. just wondering who confirmed bookings for Lawrence and chambers? On the fotmob score service neither of them has been booked.
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warksonwater added 21:49 - Feb 14 Excellent point lads. Great result away at the team second in the league. Looks from the BBC stats as if we held our own as well.
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