Swansea City skipper Darren Pratley was sent-off at Withdean Stadium as the Swans crashed to a disappointing 3-2 League One defeat.
Pratley was shown his second yellow card late on after Dennis Lawrence had grabbed a second-half equaliser, while substitute Rory Fallon added a consolation effort in injury-time.
Despite the defeat, Swansea stay in sixth place.
Brighton: Henderson, Adam Hinshelwood, Lynch, Rents, Whing, Mayo, Hammond, Cox (Santos 90), Fraser (Carpenter 72), Revell, Robinson (Gatting 82). Subs not used: Kuipers, John.
Swansea City: Gueret, Amankwaah, Austin, Tate, Lawrence, Britton, Pratley, Craney, Robinson, MacDonald (Fallon 46), Akinfenwa (Jones 57). Subs not used: Oakes, Watt, Butler.
Att: 5,209
Ref: K Friend (Leicestershire).
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Adebayo Akinfenwa . . . started up front alongside Ian Craney |
Swansea manager Kenny Jackett gave new loan signing Ian Craney his first start in a Swans shirt.
The Accrington Stanley midfielder started up front alongside Adebayo Akinfenwa after Lee Trundle failed to recover from a slight thigh strain.
Marcus Painter (ankle) and Izzy Iriekpen (hamstring) both failed fitness tests before travelling; leaving the way clear for Kevin Amaankwaah to start at right back with the versatile Alan Tate moving to the heart of defence alongside Dennis Lawrence. Kevin Austin was preferred to new French signing Sylain Meslien at left-back.
Young Shaun MacDonald kept his place alongside skipper Darren Pratley in the middle of midfield, with Leon Britton and Andy Robinson continuing on the flanks.
Striker Rory Fallon had to be content with a place on the bench along with Steve Watt, Chris Jones, Tom Butler and goalkeeper Andy Oakes.
Brighton, starting the game in 13th place, made one change from the side that beat Stafford Rangers 3-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday with manager Dean Wilkins recalling Andrew Whing in defence.
The on-loan Coventry signing slotted in at right-back, with Kerry Mayo shifting into the centre of midfield alongside Dean Hammond.
Sam Rents continued at left-back after impressing against Stafford, while Tommy Fraser switched back out to the right.
Match action
A young Brighton side, with three 19-year-olds in the side, made a lively start and soon found themselves ahead against sixth-placed Swansea after just 13 minutes.
Dean Cox was given too much room to cut inside Amankwaah before unleashing a fierce long range shot which gave goalkeeper Willy Gueret no chance as it flew into the top corner for his eighth goal of the season.
Swansea were struggling to create any clear cut chances in response as Amankwaah and Pratley were forced to defend well to deny Alex Revell and Cox extend Brighton's lead on the half hour.
In fact, the visitors had to wait until the 38th minute to create their first opportunity when Amankwaah made a good run down the right. When his cross came in, Akinfenwa met it with a looping header which struck the Brighton bar.
It finally sparked Swansea into life as Robinson forced Henderson into his first real save as Amankwaah and Austin started to get forward down the flanks in support.
Robinson flashed another good shot just wide before the interval before providing a cross into the six yard box which Britton just failed to reach as Brighton conceded the corner.
Pratley met the corner with a volley which flew just wide as Swansea finished with a flourish after a poor half hour.
Half-time: Brighton 1 Swans 0
Jackett made his first change at the start of the second half as Fallon came on for MacDonald.
Fallon went up front to partner Akinfenwa, while Craney dropped back into midfield alongside Pratley.
There was another partnership up front 12 minutes into the second half when 17-year-old Chris Jones replaced Akinfenwa.
And Jones made an immediate impact as he made a great run down the right a minute later before finding Robinson in support.
Robinson delivered the cross and big Dennis Lawrence came from nowhere in support to head beyond Henderson to level the scores at 1-1.
It was a lead that lasted just seven minutes, however, when Swansea conceded a needless free-kick which Alex Revell met with a brave diving header that flew passed Gueret.
A minute later and Swansea could have been 3-1 down when Gueret produced a great save from Jake Robinson.
With Brighton putting men behind the ball in a bid to defend their lead, Swansea were struggling to find space to create an opening for the equaliser.
Instead, it was Brighton who increased their lead in the 81st minute when Gueret pulled off a brilliant save to deny Robinson with a goal-bound shot.
But Swansea's defence failed to deal with the resulting corner and from the scramble, Revell fired home his second of the night to make it 3-1 and send Swansea towards their first defeat in six games.
To make matters worst, Pratley made an early exit as referee Kevin Friend showed the Swansea skipper his second yellow card of the evening for a foul, followed by a red.
It was a harsh decision, but it left Swansea down to 10 men for the final seven minutes and without their skipper for the trip to Blackpool on Saturday.
Rory Fallon gave Swansea a glimmer of hope as he pulled one back in injury time with a left foot shot after Brighton had failed to clear their lines.
The Swansea striker could have even grabbed an equaliser two minutes later, but this time he fired wide when presented with a great chance.
