Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Blackburn Rovers 0.
BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion3BlackburnBlackburn Rovers0
Striker Ashley Barnes scored his first league goals of the season with a brace as Brighton clinched their first home win since mid-September with victory over Blackburn.
Barnes scored his and Brighton's first from the penalty spot after Craig Conway was fouled.
Jake Forster-Caskey added a second with a header before Barnes made the win safe with a close-range finish late on.
The win moved Brighton up to 10th, while Blackburn are 13th.
Brighton, winless in their previous three games at the Amex, had a scare early on when Irish midfielder Alan Judge drove wide from the edge of the area following a good ball in from skipper Scott Dann.
Blackburn midfielder Tom Cairney later had a shot charged down before Rovers defender Jason Lowe saw a deflected shot go just wide.
The Seagulls struggled to make much of an impact until on-loan Cardiff winger Craig Conway forced former Derby keeper Jake Kean to parry his fierce shot breaking in from the right in the 20th minute.
Rovers defenders Cairney and Todd Kane both needed treatment following a collision inside their own penalty box when Stephen Ward attempted to get around the back of the visitors rearguard.
Striker Barnes wasted a glorious opportunity to put the Seagulls ahead on 33 minutes when he blazed wastefully over after breaking clean through following a mistake by Lowe.
But Barnes kept his cool only two minutes later to put his side ahead with his first league goal of the season from the penalty spot.
Barnes gave keeper Kean no chance with a sweetly struck spot kick after substitute Etuhu brought down Conway.
Spanish midfielder David Lopez put a free kick from just outside the area over for Brighton but it was Rovers who finished the half on top with both Jordan Rhodes and Dann going close.
Rhodes should have hit the target when heading wide at the far post from a Joshua King cross, and then Seagulls keeper Tomasz Kuszczak expertly tipped over Dann's goal-bound header after Cairney's free kick.
Kuszczak did well again moments after the break by pushing a low drive from King round the post.
But Brighton were not having it all their own way and both King and Cairney had shots saved by the alert Kuszczak.
Young midfielder Forster-Caskey eased the Seagulls nerves, however, by doubling their advantage on 56 minutes by heading in a Conway cross.
Blackburn continued to seek a way back into the game and substitute David Dunn shot narrowly wide before a firm header from Tommy Spurr came back off the crossbar.
Barnes struck again to settle the outcome from close range 12 minutes from time from close range after Kean could only parry a goal-bound effort from Andrew Crofts.
Brighton manager Oscar Garcia said:
"Ashley Barnes wanted to take responsibility by taking the penalty which put us ahead, and that shows he has a strong personality.
"Sometimes fans's opinions can be divided, but with strikers supporters can think only in terms of goals.
"I let the players decide on who takes a penalty and Ashley wanted to score for his confidence. He is a player who helps others to score with his movement."
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer said:
"We are very disappointed to leave without anything, but we found their keeper inspired. He was the man of the match.
"Unfortunately, we gave three goals away and must cut out individual errors. They are very costly at this level.
"Had Jordan [Rhodes] scored just before half time it might have been a different game."
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 4-3-3
- 29Kuszczak
- 2Bruno
- 17Ward
- 38Ince
- 3Greer
- 20Upson
- 8Crofts
- 18Forster-CaskeyBooked at 73minsSubstituted forEl-Abdat 89'minutes
- 9BarnesSubstituted forLitaat 78'minutes
- 21López MorenoBooked at 16minsSubstituted forBridcuttat 63'minutes
- 23Conway
Substitutes
- 6El-Abd
- 10Agustien
- 14Calderón
- 16Ankergren
- 26Bridcutt
- 27March
- 44Lita
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 34Kean
- 2Kane
- 3SpurrSubstituted forMorrisat 86'minutes
- 6Lowe
- 16DannBooked at 48mins
- 4Kilgallon
- 25JudgeSubstituted forDunnat 63'minutes
- 17WilliamsonSubstituted forEtuhuat 31'minutesBooked at 42mins
- 7King
- 11Rhodes
- 45Cairney
Substitutes
- 5Hanley
- 8Dunn
- 12Marshall
- 13Eastwood
- 19Taylor
- 20Etuhu
- 24Morris
- Referee:
- Andy D'Urso
- Attendance:
- 27,912
Match Stats
Home TeamBrightonAway TeamBlackburn
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away8
- Corners
- Home6
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Blackburn Rovers 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dickson Etuhu (Blackburn Rovers) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Cairney with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Matthew Upson.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Scott Dann.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Craig Conway (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrew Crofts.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Adam El-Abd replaces Jake Forster-Caskey.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Scott Dann.
Substitution
Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Josh Morris replaces Thomas Spurr.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stephen Ward (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Craig Conway following a set piece situation.
Post update
Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Craig Conway (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Tomasz Kuszczak.
Post update
Attempt saved. David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Jordan Rhodes.
Post update
Hand ball by David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers).
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Leroy Lita replaces Ashley Barnes.
Goal!
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Blackburn Rovers 0. Ashley Barnes (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal following a corner.
