Half-Time Report: Brighton & Hove Albion lead Blackpool

Brighton & Hove Albion lead Blackpool 3-0 at half time as they look to consolidate a Championship playoff place.

The Seagulls have been dominant throughout and the difference could have been even more at the break.

The home side started brightly, with Will Buckley testing Matt Gilks early on, before Wayne Bridge found David Lopez at the back post only for the Spaniard to slice his shot wide.

Brighton weren't to be denied for long though, and after 10 minutes they took the lead. A counter-attack on the right allowed Ashley Barnes to release Buckley who cut inside and curled his shot into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Blackpool began to get themselves into the game after that, with Matt Phillips getting more involved. Twice the winger got to the byline after good play, but Brighton were able to clear their lines.

It was Brighton who scored again midway through the half, when Matthew Upson bundled the ball in after a header back across from Dean Hammond.

Two minutes later it was nearly 3-0, but Kirk Broadfoot was able to clear Barnes's header off the line.

Brighton continued to dominate the match and were only denied more goals by some last-ditch Blackpool defending.

That was until the stroke of half time, when Andrea Orlandi played a one-two with Lopez, before curling the ball with the outside of his foot into the corner of the net.