Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Norwich City

Bradley Johnson's 11 goals this season is the best haul of the midfielder's career

Norwich City kept the pressure on the Championship's top two as Bradley Johnson's second-half goal was enough to beat Brighton.

Johnson stuck for the 11th time this season, hammering in substitute Nathan Redmond's cut-back with an hour gone.

It came after a good spell for the Seagulls, with Joao Carlos Teixeira coming close for the hosts.

But the Canaries temporarily moved up to third in what is becoming a remarkable race for promotion.

With leaders Middlesbrough beating Wigan, second-placed Bournemouth drawing at Ipswich and fourth-placed Watford to play later in the day, the top four are separated by just three points.

Norwich were 11 points adrift of the summit when Alex Neil took over at Carrow Road in January but, such has been their resurgence under the 33-year-old-Scot, they are now just two points behind Boro.

This was a first encounter against his former club for Brighton manager Chris Hughton, who was dismissed by the Canaries before their relegation from the Premier League last season.

And while Hughton has succeeded in pulling the Seagulls away from the relegation zone, his side could have taken a step closer to making safety a formality had they been more clinical in front of goal.

City had started like a side beaten just once in their previous 12 games, and forced early saves from David Stockdale through Johnson and Wes Hoolahan.

But Brighton, who had not lost any of their last four at the Amex, grew in confidence, with Teixeira putting a glaring chance wide after Sebastien Bassong gave away possession.

The home side's positive spell continued into the break, but Rohan Ince, Chris O'Grady and Teixeira failed to put away opportunities.

Redmond's introduction after the break paid dividends within just five minutes, as the winger sped past Joe Bennett before rolling across for Johnson to finish.

And even though Brighton penned Norwich back, visiting keeper John Ruddy was rarely troubled.

Brighton manager Chris Hughton:

"They're a team that I felt would get promotion at the start of the season and they're still a team that I think will get automatic promotion.

"They've got the best team and I think they've got the best squad.

"After the first 20 minutes I thought we really came into the game, got into some good positions - most of them falling to Joao Teixeira.

"But they are the margins in the game. The real bit of quality that they showed turned the game for them."

Norwich manager Alex Neil:

"I wanted Nathan Redmond to come on, make the difference and win the game for us and that's what he did so I was delighted.

"Although we didn't play at our best today we still managed to win the match - and that is pleasing.

"We're going to have to win ugly and do whatever it takes to go home with the points.

"With our work-rate, determination and effort I thought we deserved to win. But I still think there is more to come."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Brighton

• 13Stockdale
• 2Bruno
• 3GreerBooked at 20mins
• 33Halford
• 30Bennett
• 28KayalSubstituted forMackail-Smithat 79'minutes
• 24InceBooked at 90mins
• 14CalderonSubstituted forLua Luaat 71'minutes
• 17Vilaca Teixeira
• 6Stephens
• 11O'GradySubstituted forBestat 79'minutes

Substitutes

• 5Dunk
• 12Mackail-Smith
• 18Forster-Caskey
• 19Best
• 25Lua Lua
• 31Walton
• 32Carayol

Norwich

• 1Ruddy
• 2WhittakerBooked at 28mins
• 5Martin
• 30Bassong
• 23Olsson
• 27Tettey
• 41Dorrans
• 8Howson
• 14HoolahanSubstituted forRedmondat 56'minutes
• 4Johnson
• 10JeromeSubstituted forHooperat 88'minutesBooked at 90mins

Substitutes

• 3Cuéllar
• 11Hooper
• 16Loza
• 22Redmond
• 26Rudd
• 28O'Neil
• 39Odjidja-Ofoe

Referee:

Andy Davies

Attendance:

28,890

Match Stats

Home TeamBrightonAway TeamNorwich

Possession

Home55%

Away45%

Shots

Home7

Away13

Shots on Target

Home4

Away3

Corners

Home4

Away5

Fouls

Home11

Away9

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Norwich City 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+6'

Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Norwich City 1.

Booking

Posted at 90'+4'

Gary Hooper (Norwich City) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'+3'

Bruno (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Bradley Johnson (Norwich City).

Booking

Posted at 90'+2'

Rohan Ince (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Rohan Ince (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Posted at 90'+1'

Gary Hooper (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Rohan Ince (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Posted at 90'

Jonny Howson (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 88'

Substitution, Norwich City. Gary Hooper replaces Cameron Jerome.

Posted at 87'

Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Bruno tries a through ball, but Craig Mackail-Smith is caught offside.

Posted at 87'

Joe Bennett (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Nathan Redmond (Norwich City).

Posted at 86'

Attempt missed. Leon Best (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Kazenga Lua Lua with a cross.

Posted at 83'

Offside, Norwich City. John Ruddy tries a through ball, but Cameron Jerome is caught offside.

Posted at 81'

Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Steven Whittaker (Norwich City).

Posted at 80'

Attempt blocked. Martin Olsson (Norwich City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bradley Johnson.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Craig Mackail-Smith replaces Beram Kayal.

Substitution

Posted at 79'

Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Leon Best replaces Chris O'Grady.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Chris O'Grady (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Posted at 78'

Sebastien Bassong (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Alexander Tettey (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Posted at 76'

Foul by Chris O'Grady (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Posted at 76'

Sebastien Bassong (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 76'

Attempt missed. Nathan Redmond (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bradley Johnson.

Posted at 75'

Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Joe Bennett tries a through ball, but Chris O'Grady is caught offside.

Posted at 74'

Attempt missed. Cameron Jerome (Norwich City) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jonny Howson.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Kazenga Lua Lua replaces Íñigo Calderón.

Posted at 68'

Chris O'Grady (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Russell Martin (Norwich City).

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Bradley Johnson (Norwich City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Nathan Redmond with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 66'

Corner, Norwich City. Conceded by Joe Bennett.

Posted at 64'

Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Bruno tries a through ball, but Chris O'Grady is caught offside.

Goal!

Posted at 62'

Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Norwich City 1. Bradley Johnson (Norwich City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Nathan Redmond.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Íñigo Calderón (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Posted at 60'

Martin Olsson (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Substitution

Posted at 56'

Substitution, Norwich City. Nathan Redmond replaces Wes Hoolahan.

Posted at 55'

Foul by Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion).

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