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Blackburn Rovers vs Brighton and Hove Albion. Sky Bet Championship.

Ewood ParkAttendance12,930.

Blackburn 0-1 Brighton: Bobby Zamora fires Albion to victory

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Highlights from the Sky Bet Championship game between Blackburn Rovers and Brighton

Bobby Zamora celebrated his birthday in style by scoring the only goal as Brighton won 1-0 at Blackburn in the Sky Bet Championship and put an end to their recent poor run of form.

Brighton went into the match hoping to end a run of six games without a goal and it was Zamora - on his 35th birthday - who ended the drought, on hand to tap into the empty net three minutes in after Jamie Murphy's shot rebounded off a post.

The timely victory hauled Chris Hughton's men back into the play-off places, and gave them their first Championship win in seven attempts.

Jordan Rhodes was lively in the first half for goal-shy Rovers without testing David Stockdale, but the game sprang to life in the second period as Blackburn's Ben Marshall and Albion's Anthony Knockaert were both denied by the woodwork in a frenetic spell.

Bobby Zamora of Brighton and Hove Albion celebrates
Image: Bobby Zamora of Brighton and Hove Albion celebrates

The home side desperately pressed for an equaliser, but Brighton weathered the storm to record a second consecutive Ewood Park victory, consigning their opponents to a first home loss since October.

Blackburn showed plenty of endeavour, but lacked the quality to make it count and have themselves now gone six games without winning.

Brighton ended their long wait for a goal in the third minute when a poor Matthew Kilgallon clearance landed to Murphy 25 yards out.

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Grant Hanley gets past Tomer Hemed
Image: Grant Hanley gets past Tomer Hemed during the game at Ewood Park.

His rasping drive was brilliantly tipped on to a post by Jason Steele, but the rebound fell invitingly for Zamora to slot home with ease.

The hosts nearly ended their own barren run in front of goal moments later, but Rhodes' glancing header drifted just past the far post and rattled the side-netting soon after a superb back-heel by Brown to set him up.

Kilgallon endured a tough time back in the team and Zamora wriggled away from him just before the break, but Steele parried the powerful shot to safety.

Zamora should have doubled the lead 54 minutes in when Kilgallon's slip left him one-on-one, but his lob over Steele drifted wide.

Blackburn cranked up the pressure and Marshall's 59th-minute free-kick somehow stayed out after rattling a post and hitting Stockdale before the visitors cleared.

It was the turn of Hughton's men to hit the frame of the goal a minute later when a cross found its way to Knockaert 12 yards out and his ferocious drive cannoned off a post with Steele beaten.

Craig Conway produced a smart turn and stinging shot that Stockdale could only parry and Rhodes' drive was easily saved late on as Brighton ended their eight-game winless run.

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