Fulham vs Brighton match report: Seagulls out of the drop zone after rare victory

Fulham 0 Brighon & Hove Albion 2

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Managerless Brighton hauled themselves out of the Championship relegation zone with a much-needed victory at Fulham.

The Seagulls, looking for a new manager following Sami Hyypia’s departure a week ago, picked up only their second win in 20 matches thanks to second-half goals from Adrian Colunga and Solly March.

Chris Hughton is the favourite for the role, but in the meantime interim manager Nathan Jones is doing a decent job of holding the fort, following up Friday’s battling 2-2 draw against Reading with only Brighton’s second away win of the season. It will not be lost on Jones that Fulham are doing pretty well since they gave caretaker Kit Symons the permanent job.

However, the hosts, now safely in mid-table following a wretched start to the campaign, showed little of their recent spark, with the Seagulls running out deserved winners. Danny Holla could have put them into an early lead, and Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli was forced into fine saves to keep out shots from Colunga and Elliott Bennett. Fulham did not trouble their former goalkeeper David Stockdale in the first half.

Brighton took the lead on the hour when Elliot Bennett was brought down in the area by Kostas Stafylidis. Colunga sent Bettinelli the wrong way.

Fulham finally roused themselves but could find no way past Stockdale and, three minutes from time, March finished to seal the points.

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Bettinelli; Grimmer, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis (Roberts 88); Parker, Hyndman (Kavanagh, 64); Fofana, McCormack Williams (Woodrow, 63); Rodallega. Substitutes not used Kiraly, Zverotic, Dembele, Burn.

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-4-2): Stockdale; Calderon, Halford, Dunk, J Bennett; Holla, Ince, Teixeira (Hughes 89), E Bennett (O’Grady, 80); Colunga, Mackail-Smith (March, 74). Substitutes not used Baldock, Chicksen, McCourt, Walton.

Referee G Scott (Oxfordshire).