Town's end of season collapse stretched to seven games as Brighton defeated the Blues 2-1. Gifton Noel-Williams put the visitors in front against the run of play, but with the Blues failing to show after the break, Joel Lynch added a second before the returning Nicky Forster headed a consolation.

Alan Lee was considered fit enough to continue up front alongside Danny Haynes, fresh from a match-winning performance in the reserves derby on Monday. Scott Barron returned at left-back with Fabian Wilnis moving to the right.

Town went looking for a goal from the off with Darren Currie hitting a speculative, if wayward, effort within the first 30 seconds. The same player went slightly closer with a volley which went wide moments later.

On five, Barron and Haynes combined well on the left, the striker sending a ball across the box but no one could get the final touch.

Soon after, Shane Supple was on the end of a late challenge from Colin Kazim-Richards, the keeper having claimed he ball well before the arrival of the striker's boot. Richard Naylor made it clear to the Brighton man that the tackle wasn't appreciated, despite a lack of censure from referee Iain Williamson.

Brighton should have scored in the sixth minute when Paul Reid broke away on the right, possibly from an offside position, but Supple was equal to his shot. The loose ball fell to Noel-Williams but his cross was cut out ahead of Kerry Mayo.

Danny Haynes had the ball in the net in the eighth minute but the whistle had already gone for a push by Alan Lee.

Kazim-Richards's boot caused more injury in the 14th minute when it caught Richard Naylor in the head, again without action from the referee. The Town defender stumbled as he got to his feet but after brief treatment returned to the game.

Two minutes later, Brighton keeper Wayne Henderson dropped the ball in front of Danny Haynes but it was cleared before the Town striker could react. On 21, Matt Richards hit a promising 25-yard shot just wide.

Haynes forced Henderson into a good save in the 25th minute. Owen Garvan crossed from the right, Lee nodded the ball back and Haynes headed a looping effort which the Irish keeper tipped over the bar. Henderson rarely appeared comfortable on crosses, punching somewhat untidily at anything in the air.

Garvan saw a strike blocked, then Currie drilled an effort to Henderson as the Blues continued to have much the better of the game. Kazim-Williams wasn't the only Brighton player throwing himself rather too enthusiastically into tackles and on the half hour Paul McShane picked up a caution for a cynical foul on Danny Haynes, a somewhat petulant reaction to the award of the freekick cementing the caution.

Another Garvan shot struck a defender, before Mayo became the latest player to go in late on Supple with referee Williamson deciding his challenge was worthy of a booking.

On 35 a Brighton set piece almost led to a goal. A corner ended up beyond the far post where Guy Butters headed the ball down into the six-yard box from where it was cleared.

Soon after, Richard Carpenter's shot deflected kindly through to Supple. That was to be Naylor's last contribution, the head injury forcing him off, Chris Casement taking over at centre-half.

Garvan hit yet another blocked effort, then Richards's 25-yard strike was well saved by Henderson. Three minutes before the break, Gary Hart got his name in the book for a foul on Jimmy Juan.

The Seagulls went ahead in injury time, breaking quickly after Alan Lee had appeared to have been fouled on the edge of their area. Kazim-Richards played the ball into the feet of Noel-Williams who was given too much time and space by three Town defenders to hit a shot on the turn which gave Supple no chance.

Town hadn't deserved to go in behind at the break but, as in previous weeks, had failed to create the clear-cut chances which would have made their domination of the possession tell. Once again the Blues were caught on the break with the reorganisation after Naylor's departure perhaps partly to blame for the failure to close down Noel-Williams.

For the second half Casement moved to right-back with Fabian Wilnis joining Jason De Vos in the centre. The Dutchman was beaten by Kazim-Richards in the early stages of the half, Supple saving the Brighton striker's shot from a tight angle down to his left.

The Blues had failed to get going after the break with possession surrendered all too easily in midfield. On the hour, Garvan's shot from a Casement cross was blocked as was a subsequent Juan strike. The Frenchman made way for Nicky Forster not long after, Danny Haynes moving to right midfield.

Forster made a swift impact, threading in Haynes inside the penalty area. The FA Youth Cup winner slipped the ball past the keeper but McShane got across to block on the line. From Currie's corner, for once not claimed by the keeper or headed away by the first defender, Lee nodded wide at the far post.

For Brighton, Kazim-Richards laid the ball off to Noel-Williams 20 yards out, Supple pushing the former Watford man's strike past his right post.

The visitors were beginning to threaten more and more and went close in the 71st minute when Kazim-Richards hit the bar. Paul Reid's rebound caught a Town player and went out for the corner which would lead to the second goal.

Town half-cleared the initial ball into the box but the ball came back in and Joel Lynch stabbed home from close range to all but put the game further out of Town's reach.

Portman Road was becoming increasingly fractious, the shouts of ‘Royle, sort it out' having started prior to the second goal with ‘Sheepshanks out' chants soon following.

Matt Richards was booked for what appeared to be dissent in the 79th minute, before Supple made another fine save after a mistake from De Vos had let in Brighton sub Joe Gatting.

The Canadian received a yellow card in the 87th minute for a foul on Kazim-Richards which actually appeared to have been committed by Currie, the Brighton man taking an age to leave the field for further treatment.

Town hit back on 89, Currie crossing from the left, Lee nodding back across goal and Forster heading into the net off Henderson's despairing left hand.

The Blues finally appeared to realise the second half had begun, unfortunately 45 minutes too late. Despite the late urgency, the only chance of injury time fell to Brighton, Gatting seizing on more loose defending from De Vos but shooting wide from a tight angle.

The final whistle was greeted by boos with Town's winless streak now extended to seven games. As so often this season, conceding a goal saw the Blues virtually fall to pieces and it was only after Nicky Forster's late strike that there seemed to be any belief that another goal would come.

There was little to be positive about in a second half in which the Blues showed little up front, consistently lost possession in midfield, made errors at the back and did little with set pieces. Once again, Shane Supple was the pick of Town's players making two or three excellent saves.

Another disappointing home performance adds weight to the argument of some supporters that rather than challenging for promotion next season, the Blues will find themselves struggling against relegation.

Town: Supple, Wilnis, Barron, Naylor (Casement 37), De Vos, Garvan, Juan (Forster 60), Richards, Currie, Lee, Haynes. Unused: Price, Bowditch, Skard. Att: 23,964.

Photo: Action Images

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