Ipswich impress and stretch winning away run at Brighton
Ipswich equalled a club record of five successive away league wins with Daryl Murphy's seventh goal of the season giving them a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Brighton.
The outcome before a crowd of 27,689, Brighton's biggest of the season, leaves the fourth-placed Seagulls without a win in their last five games.
Substitute Bobby Zamora was denied by the woodwork in the second half as Albion threw everything at their opponents but gained no reward.
Brighton boss Chris Hughton gave a full debut to former Shrewsbury defender Connor Goldson. The 23-year-old partnered Lewis Dunk at centre-back with the experienced Gordon Greer forced out with a hamstring injury.
The Seagulls, bidding to reignite their automatic promotion challenge in the Sky Bet Championship, had an early let-off when Ryan Fraser got into a good position down the left but drove his cross wastefully across the six-yard box.
Winger Fraser was back in the Ipswich team in place of Brett Pitman, while Kevin Bru came in for the injured Ainsley Maitland-Niles as boss Mick McCarthy made his first changes in six games.
Ipswich went close in the 15th minute when good work from Fraser set up Bru 25 yards from goal and his rasping right-footed shot cannoned back off the crossbar.
The visitors appeared unfortunate not to have been awarded a penalty after 20 minutes when Dunk appeared to trip Republic of Ireland striker Murphy.
Three minutes later, Brighton winger Rajiv van La Parra, playing his final game on loan from Wolves, threatened for the Seagulls when his low, angled shot was saved by alert goalkeeper Dean Gerken.
Brighton had the ball in the net in the 29th minute but Jamie Murphy's close-range shot was ruled offside after Gerken had brilliantly touched a goal-bound shot from Dale Stephens onto the bar.
Ipswich cashed in on a defensive mistake by Dunk to break the deadlock in the 32nd minute.
Defender Dunk took his eye off the ball and allowed Murphy to burst through on goal and his powerful shot went in off the post despite Goldson's attempt to hook the ball off the line.
Brighton came under pressure again when a cross by Fraser led to an effort by Murphy coming off the post, and moments later Gerken came to Ipswich's rescue by denying former Sheffield United winger Murphy in a one-on-one situation.
Brighton put the visitors under pressure straight after the break and Stephens had a left-footed shot saved by Gerken, before the Ipswich goalkeeper held a goal-bound snap shot from Murphy.
Ipswich went close to doubling their lead with a close-range shot from Jonathan Douglas which was saved smartly with his legs by David Stockdale.
Home boss Hughton made a double change by introducing strikers James Wilson and Zamora midway through the second half and the Seagulls, dominating possession, went close when Van La Parra shot wide.
Ipswich had a let-off with 16 minutes remaining when Zamora saw his a left-footed shot bounce back off the crossbar.
Source: PA
