Brighton & Hove Albion welcomes Leeds United to the Amex Stadium tonight looking to break into the top six in the Championship.
There were three penalties in the game, which was action packed from the first whistle.
Craig Mackail-Smith twice put the Seagulls ahead, only to be pegged back by goals from El-Hadji Diouf and Luciano Becchio.
Gus Poyet's men could still have won the game, but Paddy Kenny was equal to Mackail-Smith's 73rd-minute penalty, denying the Scot his hattrick.
You can read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening readers of Sports Mole! Welcome to our coverage of Leeds United's trip to face Brighton in the Championship.
Gus Poyet's men lie 10th in the Championship, one place above tonight's opponents. However, they are without a win in six games. Victory tonight will see them go back into the top six.
Leeds are also in the midst of a winless streak spanning four games. However, a midweek win over Southampton in the League Cup will have done wonders for their confidence.
Let's bring you some team news...
Kuszczak; Bruno, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge; Bridcutt, Hammond, Orlandi; Buckley, Mackail-Smith, Barnes
The game is now underway...
Buckley made a great burst into the Leeds box and stood a ball up to the back post but no one was there to benefit.
CHANCE! Barnes had the chance to drive at goal from inside the box, but pulled his left-footed shot across the goal. The ball hit a Leeds man and went out for a corner.
Mackail-Smith chases down a ball over the top and causes a degree of panic. Leeds half-clear it but Orlandi picks up the pieces and drives at goal. He goes down as if tripped and the referee awards a freekick from around 20 yards out.
Orlandi's freekick hits the wall and goes out for a corner.
PENALTY TO BRIGHTON!
GOAL! MACKAIL-SMITH SMASHES IT DOWN THE CENTRE!
It was Buckley who won the penalty, getting on the end of a through ball before being brought down by Peltier. Correct decision. Well done ref.
POST! Buckley storms down the right once again before teeing up Mackail-Smith. His poked effort rebounds off the post.
It's been a tremendous start by Brighton and Buckley in particular.
Orlandi has a chance the whip a freekick into the box.
El-Abd tries to get on the end of it but is penalised for a high foot.
CHANCE! Brighton break from midfield once more and Buckley feeds Bruno down the right. He sends the ball over to Barnes, but he hits his shot into the ground and over the bar. Sitter!
Brighton could feasibly be 3-0 up. Leeds haven't had a chance, but they're still not out of it. You feel Poyet's boys need another while they're on top.
PENALTY TO LEEDS!
The ball was rolled into Varney and he fell under a challenge from Bruno. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Diouf steps up...
GOAL! DIOUF LEVELS THE SCORES!
Kuszczak guessed the right way but there was too much power on it. Brighton have been punished for their profligacy in front of goal.
Tom Lees is replaced by Danny Pugh.
CHANCE! Barnes knocks down Bruno's cross nicely for Mackail-Smith, but his effort just whistles past the post. It got a nick on the way through and the referee awards a corner.
Brighton 1-1 Leeds
The first half ends level, although Brighton will feel that they should be in front. It's all the play for in the second half!
You can read out Half-Time Report by clicking here.
The players are back out and ready to resume battle.
Leeds get the second half underway.
GOAL! MACKAIL-SMITH ROUNDS OFF A WELL-WORKED MOVE!
Orlandi slipped Buckley through with a delightful reverse pass and the winger cuts the ball back to Mackail-Smith, who tucked it away nicely. Pearce nearly got the block in but Brighton are back in front!
Buckley goes down under a challenge from Michael Brown, who has already been booked. He dragged the winger down and could have easily seen red then. Freekick from 20 yards out.
SHOT! Bruno's freekick is struck fiercely but was always rising.
Reports from pitchside have shed some light on Tom Lees injury. He is having trouble with his eyes after a challenge with Barnes. He is to be taken to a specialist eye unit for treatment.
Diouf gets a yard of space in the area but can't find the killer ball. He's still plugging away and has been Leeds' biggest threat tonight.
CLOSE! Barnes takes the ball down on his chest and slips in Mackail-Smith, who plays the ball across goal but Leeds clear the danger.
Byram is down following a challenge from Barnes. It looked as if he got a bit of a bash there and he just needs a second to clear his head.
SHOT! Buckley and Mackail-Smith link up well and the Scot is able to drive at goal, but Kenny gets down to save it.
SHOT! White gallops into midfield and hits a left-footed shot but Kuszczak sees it wide.
Luke Varney makes way for Lucciano Becchio.
GOAL! LOVELY FINISH BY BROWN GETS LEEDS BACK ON LEVEL TERMS!
The ball fell to the midfielder on the edge of the box and he swept it home with his right foot. However, the ball seemed to take a deflection off Becchio. Who will claim that one?
CHANCE! Becchio nearly gets his head to a dangerous cross but is just inches away from making contact!
PENALTY TO BRIGHTON!
Byram brought down Mackail-Smith and the referee had an easy decision to make!
SAVE! KENNY CATCHES THE BALL CLEANLY IN HIS ARMS!
It was a poor penalty. It had plenty of pace but it was a nice height and nowhere near the corner.
The referee is giving Diouf and El-Abd a talking to. El-Abd looks like he is trying to get under his skin, which is not hard to do in truth.
Orlandi makes way for Gary Dicker, while Andrew Crofts comes on for Dean Hammond.
SHOT! Byram drifts inside and shoots at goal but it doesn't trouble Kuszczak.
El Hadji Diouf is withdrawn and David Norris comes on to replace him.
Steven Dobbie comes on for Ashley Barnes.
CHANCE! Tonge gets a foot to Buckley's corner and Bruno nearly steals in at the front post but just succeeded in scrambling it wide.
CHANCE! Dobbie crosses for Mackail-Smith and has a chance to get a shot on goal from inside the box... but the linesman puts his flag up. The Scot was adjudged to have handled the ball in bringing it under control.
SHOT! Dobbie comes inside on his left foot and unleashes a shot from 25 yards... but it goes narrowly over. Close!
BOOKING! Crofts brings down Brown who was making a burst into Brighton's final third. Freekick from 25 yards out...
Byram strikes it well but it goes over.
Brighton are pushing forward searching for a winner...
SAVE! Mackail-Smith darts into the box and sets up Crofts and it looked as if Brighton were going to win it, but Kenny was alert to the shot! Great stop!
Brighton 2-2 Leeds
Brighton will be disappointed to have lost that one. They played the better football but Leeds held firm.
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
