PROFLIGATE Rovers slipped into the bottom three as their winless start to the Championship season stretched to four matches after they were beaten by high-flying Brighton at the sun-drenched Amex.

A deflected 35th-mintue goal from top-scorer Kazenga Lua Lua was enough to earn the unbeaten Seagulls a hard-fought victory which leaves them second in the standings.

But Gary Bowyer’s side had more than enough chances to take at least a point with Craig Conway and Nathan Delfouneso wasting one-on-ones and Shane Duffy having one header cleared off the line and another drift over the bar at the death.

But, after trailing at half-time for the fifth game running, Rovers were unable to force an equaliser as they suffered their first away loss since February.

The kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes after a plane at the nearby Shoreham Airshow crashed into cars on the A27, leading to the loss of seven lives.

By then the team news was already in with Rovers able only to name six substitutes on their bench after Adam Henley and Jason Lowe fell ill overnight.

Henley and Lowe were sent home and their places in the starting line-up were taken by Danny Guthrie and Tom Lawrence, who was handed an instant debut after completing a loan move from Leicester City.

Despite the late, enforced changes, and despite the hold-up, Rovers were fast out of the traps.

There were just two minutes on the clock when Fode Koita shrugged off challenges on the edge of the box and unleashed a low and powerful left-footed shot that David Stockdale did well to get a hand to.

Lawrence then played in Conway for a drive that deflected wide. The new boy should have had a go himself.

Former Brighton loanee Conway then squandered a clear opening in the 18th minute after he was put through by Guthrie’s fine pass.

His initial touch let him down and Stockdale rushed out of his goal to save his toe-poked effort.  

It was not until the 26th minute that Brighton mustered their first serious attempt at goal as Dale Stephens dragged the ball past David Raya’s right-hand post.

But, after Conway stung Stockdale’s hands after again being released by Guthrie, Raya was beaten 10 minutes before the break.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The Rovers players had been slipping since the first whistle and, when Duffy and his centre-back partner Grant Hanley appeared to lose their footing, it allowed Sam Baldock to tee up Lua Lua on the edge of the area.

Captain Hanley rushed across to block the livewire winger’s shot only to see the ball deflect off his body and fly past the wrong-footed Raya.

The Seagulls, despite dominating possession, had not played well in the opening period.

But they improved immediately after the restart with Tomer Hemed blazing over and then heading wide from a corner.

While not as good as they had been before the deadlock, Rovers continued to carry a threat, however, and Marshall chipped an audacious effort on to the roof of the net.

He had no right to score.

But Delfouneso should have done just that after a flick from strike-partner Koita played him through.

Delfouneso tried to pass the ball into the goal. The quick-thinking Stockdale was wise to his intentions, though, blocking the ball away.

Then it was the turn of Raya to be called into action as he spectacularly denied Hemed and then got down low to keep out Stephens’ follow up.

In what had developed into an open, end-to-end contest, the next goal was going to be crucial.

And Duffy went close to getting it in the 63rd minute when his towering header from a Conway corner was hacked off the line by Seagulls full debutant Jamie Murphy.

In one last desperate roll of the dice, Duffy was thrown up front after Matt Kilgallon came on for Lawrence.

And the big defender could and should have levelled matters in the 90th minute when he arched backwards to meet a floated Conway cross.

His header, however, beat the bar, as Rovers’ 10-game unbeaten away run came to an end.

Brighton:  Stockdale, Bruno, Greer, Huenemeier, Bong, LuaLua, Stephens, Kayal, Murphy (March 78), Hemed (O’Grady 88), Baldock (Ince 84). Subs not used: Maenpaa, Dunk, Rosenior, Forster-Caskey.

Booked: Greer, Kayal, Huenemeier.

Goal: Lua Lua 35.

Rovers: Raya, Marshall, Hanley, Duffy, Spurr, Lawrence (Kilgallon 83), Guthrie, Akpan, Conway, Delfouneso, Koita (Barrow 69). Subs not used: Steele, Olsson, Williamson, Evans.

Booked: Duffy, Marshall, Guthrie.

Referee: Andrew Madley.

Attendance: 22, 659 (563 away).