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  • Kick-off: 15:00
  • Venue: Withdean Stadium
  • Attendance: 7741
  • Referee: Armstrong, P

Live Commentary

90 mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

90 mins

Joe Anyon is booked for timewasting.

90 mins

Goal!! Brighton have scored with Glenn Murray putting it in the back of the net.

90 mins

Joe Cardle is replaced by Luke Prosser.

87 mins

Goal!! Port Vale have scored with Danny Whitaker putting it in the back of the net.

86 mins

Simon Richman is replaced by Mark McGregor.

85 mins

Steve Thomson is being taken off, Joe Gatting has come on in his place.

80 mins

Therry Racon is being taken off, Tommy Fraser has come on in his place.

68 mins

The referee has booked Dave Mulligan.

63 mins

Ian Westlake is being taken off, Jake Robinson has come on in his place.

53 mins

David Howland goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

46 mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 1 v 2.

45 mins

Half time whistle is blown by P Armstrong

45 mins

Andrew Whing is booked for unsporting behaviour.

26 mins

Goal!! Brighton have scored with Dean Cox putting it in the back of the net.

19 mins

Goal!! Port Vale have scored with Marc Richards putting it in the back of the net.

12 mins

Goal!! Marc Richards scores for Port Vale.

0 mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.

Match Report

Port Vale are going down fighting from League One. Relegation still looks inevitable for Lee Sinnott's strugglers, but they are finishing the season in promotion form.

Their fourth win in six games was well deserved and they should have scored a hatful as Brighton's play-off hopes suffered a severe blow.

Vale started the game brightly and they went ahead in the 12th minute. Danny Whitaker's cross reached Marc Richards at the far post and, although he scuffed his first effort, he still had time to score with a low drive.

Richards added his fourth goal in three games seven minutes later. The former Barnsley centre-forward burst through Brighton's ponderous defence to prod past keeper Michels Kuipers.

Brighton, strangely out of sorts, were back in the match in the 26th minute. Dean Cox latched on to a flick by Glenn Murray to convert his first goal since November with a left-foot shot low into the bottom corner.

Vale should have been out of sight by half-time. Richards and Krystian Pearce both missed the target with headers, while Kuipers also denied Whitaker and the rampant Richards with smart saves.

Cox should have equalised early in the second half for Brighton, but slotted wide when clean through.

If that was a let-off for Vale, Whitaker was left hanging his head in disbelief as the woodwork denied him three times in as many minutes as he first struck the outside of a post and then the crossbar twice.

Brighton centre-half Tommy Elphick also headed against his own crossbar and, after surviving so many escapes, Brighton threatened to snatch an unlikely point.

Vale keeper Joe Anyon had to save from Nicky Forster and substitute Joe Gatting before justice was done two minutes from time, Whitaker swivelling to score in spectacular fashion from 30 yards.

Murray headed in an injury-time consolation for shell-shocked Brighton from a Cox cross. He also nodded in a Kerry Mayo centre moments later, but it was disallowed for pushing by ref Paul Armstrong.

There were no complaints from the Brighton players and there could be no complaints either about their first home league defeat in ten matches.

Brighton and Hove Albion Team

Port Vale Team

Brighton and Hove Albion

Port Vale

Corners

8 5

Fouls

16 9

Goal attempts

12 18

Shots off target

7 7

Offsides

3 1

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