Albion have recorded their first Withdean win since February yesterday as they overcame Northampton Town 2-1 thanks to goals from Dean Hammond and Alex Revell.

A more attacking line up saw Jake Robinson return on the right wing in place of Tommy Fraser while Joel Lynch failed to recover from a knee injury in time to play and was replaced by Sam Rents at left back with Tommy Elphick continuing to partner Guy Butters in the center of defence.

Dean Wilkins always talks about getting off to a good start in games and it couldn’t have started any better yesterday.

A low cross from Jake Robinson was meet by Alex Revell who got a toe to the ball before being brought down by Chris Doig for a clear-cut penalty after just 1 minute of play.

Up stepped Albion captain Dean Hammond to emphatically slam the ball into the top corner to give the Seagulls the lead.

The good start to the game perhaps didn’t help the Albion who appeared to take their foot off the gas allowing the visitors back into the game.

The equaliser arrived on 23 minutes. A right wing cross from Jason Crowe was meet at the near post with a powerful header from Andy Kirk to beat Albion keeper Michel Kuipers and in off the post.

And from that point on Northampton dominated the play as the Seagulls barely strung 2 passes together in form reminiscent of last season.

Thankfully things improved after the break as Dean Wilkins switched from a 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 with Jake Robinson pushing forward to support Alex Revell and Nicky Forster.

The winning goal arrived on 66 minutes. A well-taken free kick from the left wing was swung in by Sam Rents and was meet at the far post with a bullet header from Alex Revell into the top right hand corner. .

Once the Seagulls went ahead they controlled the game and really should have won by a larger margin.

Nicky Forster and Alex Revell both had gone chances to seal the win. Forster racing onto a well paced through ball from substitute Bas Savage, but Forster’s first time shot was weak and was saved comfortably by Northampton keeper Bunn. Revell’s chance came with Bunn out of his goal but his side footed first time effort from the edge of the area was cleared off the line.

So a first Withdean win of the season and our first at our temporary home since we beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 back in February last season. Up next the Seagulls travel to Tranmere.

Brighton: Kuipers, Whing, Butters, Elphick, Rents, Robinson (Savage 83), El-Abd, Hammond (Fraser 86), Cox, Revell, Forster.

Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Mayo, Elder.

Booked: Whing. Goals: Hammond 2 pen, Revell 66.

Northampton: Bunn, Crowe, Hughes, Doig, Jackman (Brett Johnson 62), Henderson (Jones 74), Gilligan, Bradley Johnson, Holt (Larkin 89), Kirk, Hubertz.

Subs Not Used: Dunn, Burnell. Booked: Hubertz, Hughes, Gilligan, Jones. Goals: Kirk 23.

Att: 5,137.

Ref: M Thorpe (Suffolk).

Added on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 at 10:22 am under Match reports by Wilka.