Brighton beat clock to stump Sturrock

Sheffield Wednesday 1 Brighton 1

Rejected by League One Swansea's Lee Trundle last week, manager Paul Sturrock went down another level yesterday with a £700,000 bid for Wycombe Wanderers' prolific striker Nathan Tyson only to meet the same response, the 23-year-old deciding to remain in League Two.

Sturrock is desperate to find a reliable goalscorer, with his side struggling, and last night's outcome could not have made the point more emphatically. Wednesday went ahead through Lee Peacock early in the second half but squandered chances before conceding an equaliser to Brighton substitute Colin Kazim-Richards in stoppage time.

Peacock and his strike partner David Graham both had opportunities in the first half, as did Chris Eagles, but while Brighton made fewer chances they went closest to taking a lead before half-time, Wednesday goalkeeper David Lucas relieved to see the ball trundle past the post after Seb Carole's skimming shot surprisingly beat him.

Wednesday began the second half with renewed purpose and were rewarded 10 minutes in after goalkeeper Wayne Henderson could only parry a fine effort by Brunt, Peacock pouncing on the loose ball to lash home.

But the former Bristol City front man then failed to convert an inviting near-post cross from John Hills 19 minutes from time.

Wednesday have wasted leads seven times this season, throwing away one-goal advantages in the closing minutes of their last three games. "There is a naivety in the way we are not running down the clock at the end of games and it is costing us dear," Sturrock said.

The points looked safe for Wednesday as the 90-minute mark passed, but Kazim-Richards popped up to head in Carole's cross to bring more frustration for Sturrock.

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): Lucas; Simek (Bullen, 40), Lee, Coughlan, Hills; Eagles, Rocastle, Whelan, Brunt; Graham (O'Brien, 86), Peacock. Substitutes not used: Wood, Partridge, Corr.

Brighton and Hove Albion (4-4-2): Henderson; Hart, McShane ,Butters, Reid; Carole, Oatway, Hammond, Frutos (Jarrett, 78); Robinson (Kazim-Richards, 61), Knight. Substitutes not used: Blayney (gk), Nicholas, El-Abd.

Referee: N Miller (Co Durham).