Town once again face the play-offs after failing to overhaul second-placed Wigan on the final day of the season. Despite an early Shefki Kuqi goal, the Blues could only manage a 1-1 draw at Brighton, while the Latics defeated Reading 3-1 at the JJB Stadium.

Joe Royle's side lined-up unchanged from last week's 5-1 home win against Crewe. The home team had their own agenda for the day with Championship survival dependent on the Seagulls taking a point from the Blues or results elsewhere going their way.

Brighton striker Leon Knight hit the first shot of the game across the face of Kelvin Davis's goal in just the fourth minute.

A minute later, Town were ahead. Jim Magilton played a ball through the middle which looked easy for Guy Butters to clear. However, the defender was beaten by the less than perfect Withdean Stadium pitch and Kuqi was allowed through one-on-one with keeper Alan Blayney, who he beat with a shot to the keeper's right.

The goal was the perfect start for Town but only six minutes later the Seagulls were back on terms. A freekick was sent in from the left, Kelvin Davis saved a Gary Hart header but central defender Adam Virgo got to the loose ball first to crash home.

Shefki Kuqi became the first player to enter referee Michael Jones's book for a foul on Dan Harding in the 14th minute. Kuqi was livid at the decision, Harding appearing to have dived.

News of Wigan's two goals in the first 21 minutes against Reading quickly filtered through to the Town crowd, the atmosphere suffering for it. On the pitch too, the game seemed to lose some of the intensity of the opening stages with the chances of automatic promotion for the Blues diminishing.

Richard Naylor came close to putting Town back in front with a flicked header from a Darren Currie corner.

On the half hour, the Blues ought to have had a penalty. Darren Bent was found inside the area and was felled by Charlie Oatway. It looked a very obvious penalty but referee Michael Jones, who had rarely seemed disinclined to blow his whistle, decided to wave play on, Kuqi lashing a shot against keeper Blayney.

From the resultant corner the ball ran out to Fabian Wilnis 35 yards out, the Dutchman hitting a vicious shot which appeared to strike a defender's hand on the edge of the area. Again Mr Jones wasn't interested despite lengthy protests which ended with Jim Magilton receiving a yellow card.

Wilnis was involved in a nasty looking clash of heads with Harding on 35 and required protracted treatment, eventually going off looking groggy and receiving seven stitches. Drissa Diallo took over at right-back.

In the seven minutes of added on time, in the main for Wilnis's injury, Kuqi was on the end of a high and dangerous challenge from Virgo but referee Jones was once again oblivious to the incident and was booed off the field by the Town support at half-time.

The players were back on the field for the second half after just over 10 minutes, the referee perhaps trying to make sure the game ended nearer the same time as the other fixtures.

Darren Currie and Jim Magilton both had opportunities from freekicks 25 yards out a few minutes after the break, the former Brighton man curling one wide and Magilton shooting straight at the keeper.

Just before the hour, Kuqi flicked a ball on to Bent but the England U21 shot wide. Seven minutes later Pablo Couñago replaced Darren Currie.

Soon after, Town had another call for a penalty when Darren Bent appeared to be pushed inside the area. Once again Mr Jones wasn't interested in the appeals.

As results changed in matches involving Brighton's relegation battle foes, the home side sat further and further back, fearful that a Town goal would now see them relegated.

The Blues continued to push forward but rarely created anything clear-cut and looked short of defenders when the Seagulls broke.

There was a big scare for Town in the 70th minute when Jason De Vos and Richard Naylor left Dean Hammond to one another, the Brighton man shooting weakly to Davis when he really should have done better.

Kuqi shot across the face of goal from the edge of the area, before the Blues added to their already extensive attacking options, James Scowcroft replacing Drissa Diallo and completing a four-man strike force. Diallo looks certain to be involved in the play-offs as a replacement for David Unsworth, whose loan spell is up on Monday.

Couñago shot wide from the edge of the area, then the Spaniard laid the ball off to Kuqi whose shot was easy for Blayney.

Richard Carpenter looped the ball on to the roof of the Town net before Chris McPhee hit a shot which Davis saved, perhaps not as comfortably as he should.

As time ran out and with Wigan now 3-1 up against Reading, Couñago shot wide from 20 yards.

The final whistle confirmed Brighton's position in the Championship and Town's in the play-offs for the seventh time, and once more against West Ham but this time, and perhaps importantly, with the home leg second.

Back in February Premiership status looked Town's to lose and the home defeats to Watford and QPR were bitter blows from which the automatic promotion challenge never really recovered.

Town must now get over the disappointment of missing out quickly before Saturday's away leg of the play-off at Upton Park.

Town: Davis, Wilnis (Diallo 41 (Scowcroft 76)), Unsworth, De Vos, Naylor, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Currie (Couñago 66), Bent, Kuqi.

Photo: Action Images

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