Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Brentford 0.
BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion3BrentfordBrentford0
French midfielder Anthony Knockaert scored his first goal for Brighton as the Seagulls beat mid-table Brentford to go third in the Championship table.
Chris Hughton's side are two points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.
Knockaert, who joined the Sussex club from Standard Liege in January, beat David Button with an angled shot.
Tomer Hemed expertly headed in Beram Kayal's right-wing cross, his first goal since 5 December, before Jamie Murphy added a third in stoppage time.
Brighton's 3-0 win over Brentford as it happened
Bruno also had a first-half shot deflected onto the crossbar by Brentford centre-back Harlee Dean, as Brighton strolled towards a third successive win.
At the other end, with the score at 0-0, goalkeeper David Stockdale made a flying save to keep out Alan Judge's powerful first-time shot.
Knockaert set up both goals in a 2-1 win over Huddersfield on his home debut 13 days earlier and he was in fine form once more against the Bees, although he should have opened the scoring inside the second minute but poked wide from eight yards.
Israel striker Hemed had started the season with five goals in his nine appearances for Brighton but, like his team-mates, had struggled for goals during a seven-match winless run in the league over the festive period.
That dip in form appears to be at an end, with Murphy's late goal on the counter-attack sealing Brighton's biggest win of the season.
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 4-4-2
- 13StockdaleBooked at 36mins
- 2Bruno
- 17Goldson
- 5Dunk
- 33Ridgewell
- 27Knockaert
- 6Stephens
- 7KayalSubstituted forSidwellat 78'minutes
- 15Murphy
- 10HemedSubstituted forCroftsat 69'minutes
- 25ZamoraSubstituted forWilsonat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Crofts
- 14Calderon
- 16Ankergren
- 21Wilson
- 29Towell
- 30Lua Lua
- 36Sidwell
Brentford
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 27Button
- 2Colin
- 6Dean
- 29Barbet
- 3Bidwell
- 15WoodsBooked at 42mins
- 10McEachranSubstituted forMacLeodat 82'minutes
- 7SaundersSubstituted forCanosat 60'minutes
- 18Judge
- 19Swift
- 21VibeSubstituted forDjuricinat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 4MacLeod
- 8Djuricin
- 16Bonham
- 17Kerschbaumer
- 22O'Connell
- 28Yennaris
- 47Canos
- Referee:
- Keith Stroud
- Attendance:
- 24,096
Match Stats
Home TeamBrightonAway TeamBrentford
- Possession
- Home35%
- Away65%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Brentford 0.
Goal!
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Brentford 0. Jamie Murphy (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Andrew Crofts with a through ball.
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Ryan Woods (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Steve Sidwell (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Foul by Maxime Colin (Brentford).
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Anthony Knockaert (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Yoann Barbet.
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Foul by Lewis MacLeod (Brentford).
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Connor Goldson (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Lewis MacLeod replaces Josh McEachran because of an injury.
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Ryan Woods (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Dale Stephens (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match Josh McEachran (Brentford) because of an injury.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Steve Sidwell replaces Beram Kayal because of an injury.
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Delay in match Beram Kayal (Brighton and Hove Albion) because of an injury.
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Hand ball by Anthony Knockaert (Brighton and Hove Albion).
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Attempt blocked. Sergi Canos (Brentford) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
