Brighton & Hove Albion continued their push for European qualification with a 2-0 win against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of goals from Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso.
Heading into the game, Brighton knew a victory would take them within four points of Tottenham Hotspur ahead of a real six-pointer away against Spurs on Saturday, and they looked lively from the off, with Ferguson regularly getting behind the Bournemouth backline.
Kaoru Mitoma has been in fantastic form of late, picking up two goals and three assists in his last four Premier League games, and the Japan international was a real threat down the left, causing significant problems for Adam Smith at right-back.
Having started so well, Mitoma and Ferguson linked up for the opening goal from the first real opportunity of the game, with the left-winger picking the 18-year-old striker out just outside the six-yard box, and he produced a lovely back-heel finish to give his side the lead.
After a slow start from the hosts, they began to find their feet as the first half wore on, and in truth, Hamed Traore really should have scored after being threaded through by Jefferson Lerma, but he could only poke the ball just wide of the post.
Spurred on after creating their first clear-cut chance, the Cherries continued to threaten, and Dominic Solanke had an effort from close range blocked well by Adam Webster, with the defender putting his body on the line to preserve the Seagulls' lead.
In truth, the 1-0 scoreline at half-time probably flattered the visitors, and Bournemouth continued to impress in the early stages of the second half, with both Lerma and Solanke going close, limiting Roberto De Zerbi's side to opportunities on the counter attack.
One such chance fell to Ferguson, when Solly March picked out the Irishman in a similar position to where he scored his first goal, but this time he blazed his effort way over the bar, leaving De Zerbi visibly frustrated.
With the Cherries pushing men forward in search of a late equaliser, Brighton managed to catch them out on the break, and Pervis Estupinan was particularly lively, firing a shot just over, before being denied by an excellent save from Neto minutes later.
However, it was not long before the Seagulls grabbed a deserved second goal, and it will be a memorable one for Enciso, with the 19-year-old keeping his composure and slotting past Neto from close range, having been played clean through by Pascal Gross.
It was an important victory for De Zerbi's side, who are now eight games unbeaten away from home, and they are sitting just four points off the top four, with two games in hand at their disposal.
Bournemouth, on the other hand, drop into the bottom three, although it is very tight at the bottom of the table, below Nottingham Forest, Everton and West Ham United by goal difference alone.
Dominic Lund
