Brighton vs Derby match report: James Wilson's last-gasp equaliser sets-up Middlesbrough promotion showdown

Brighton and Hove Albion 1 Derby County 1: On-loan Manchester United striker scores deep into injury-time to put Seagulls within touching distance of Premier League

James Wilson celebrates after scoring a late equaliser for Brighton & Hove Albion (PA)

Brighton remain one win from promotion to the Premier League, but they missed the chance to give themselves the advantage in Saturday's winner-take-all meeting away to Middlesbrough.

Victory over Derby County would have sent the Seagulls to the Riverside Stadium needing only a point to send them back to the top flight for the first time since 1983. Instead Middlesbrough now need only a draw and Brighton must take all three points if they are to go up and consign Boro to the playoffs.

“We are up against a good team at home and there is no doubt they are favourites,” Brighton manager Chris Hughton said. “We have been good away from home this season and it is not a task that is impossible. There is more expectation and pressure on them and we will make sure we don't go with any fear and give ourselves the best chance.”

Both goals at the Amex Stadium came from substitutes. Andreas Weimann put Derby ahead in the 71st minute, within seconds of taking the field. James Wilson scrambled an equaliser with almost the final kick of the match but it was of no importance in terms of Brighton's task on Teesside. Potentially of greater significance was the dismissal of defender Lewis Dunk, sent off eight minutes from time after receiving a second yellow card, who will now miss Saturday's match.

Andreas Weimann celebrates giving Derby County the lead (Getty)

His likely replacement, club captain Gordon Greer, 35, has played only once, for Scotland in a 1-0 victory over Denmark, since January 12, and Hughton called the loss of Dunk “a big blow. He has been outstanding. But Gordon is a player who trains very hard and has vast experience.”

Derby are unbeaten in six matches, four of which they have won, and kept alive their hopes of home advantage in the second leg of their play-off semi-final against Hull City. “We are getting better and better and showed that we are a match for anyone,” manager Darren Wassall said. “The players handled the occasion magnificently and were unlucky not to get all three points. And that wasn't a one-off. We are ready going into the playoffs.”

In front of a record Amex crowd, Brighton pressed for an early goal to settle their nerves. Beram Kayal and Anthony Knockaert both had shots deflected for corner-kicks. Derby defender Jason Shackell nearly glanced Jiri Skalak's corner into his own net, Brighton's top scorer Tomer Hemed nodded wide, and Kayal passed when a shot looked a better option.

The Brighton & Hove Albion players salute the crowd after their final home game (Getty)

But Derby also threatened. Tom Ince shot into side netting after Craig Bryson's crossfield pass had exposed Brighton on the break, and after the interval the visitors' attacks became more frequent. 19 minutes from time the increasingly influential Will Hughes, making only the third start after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, knocked the ball through for Weimann to hit a shot that goalkeeper David Stockdale did well to parry, the Austrian striker following up to score.

Things got worse for the Seagulls when Dunk, booked earlier trying to rectify his own error, clattered into Bryson from behind and immediately knew the worst. But the ten men rallied and when Derby failed to clear Knockaert's corner, Wilson's close-range shot clipped Jacob Butterfield and looped in.

“We weren't at our best against a very good side,” Hughton said. “In the first half we edged it but overall it was a fair result. Our focus now has to be on picking the players up, but I don't think that will be difficult.”