Brighton 2-0 Derby County
Last updated on .From the section Football
Goals from Inigo Calderon and Ashley Barnes earned Brighton a 2-0 win over Derby County to move the Seagulls back into the Championship play-off places.
Former Valencia star Vicente was inspirational for Brighton, setting up both goals in just his fourth start for the club.
He took the corner which Calderon headed home before a marauding run set up Barnes to finish from close range.
The Spaniard also forced Frank Fielding into a good save and hit the crossbar.
Gus Poyet's side suffered their first defeat of 2012 on Saturday, against Blackpool, but bounced back in the best possible way.
Derby had won three of their previous four matches but struggled to get a foothold in the game.
Brighton dominated the first half and were rewarded when Calderon scored only his second goal of the season.
Jake Buxton headed over twice for the visitors after the break before Paul Green nodded wide from a Theo Robinson cross as the Rams went in search of the equaliser.
Kazenga Lua Lua then bought a fingertip save out of Fielding before Vincente's run played in the winger who provided a simple tap-in for Barnes.
The win moves Brighton up to fourth while Derby drop to 12th.
Brighton boss Gus Poyet: "Vicente has started in the last two games and he's getting fitter.
"I want him to play but I don't want to lose him - we want to keep him fit and if we do that we've got a great chance.
"Imagine if he had been fit for the whole season. Had he been, we could be 10 or 15 points better off."
Derby boss Nigel Clough: "Had we got a goal at any time during the game, it would have changed the whole complexion of the match.
"It was disappointing to concede the opening goal from a set-piece and some of the refereeing decisions went against us.
"But we had a go at the start of the second half and were punished for being a little bit open at the back. We have to make the most of chances that come our way while, in our own box, we need to defend properly."
