By Tim Hodges
Brighton & Hove Albion 3 Leicester City 1
The Albion beat Championship leaders Leicester at the Amex with two goals from Ashley Barnes and one from Craig Conway.
There was drama before the start when regular keeper Tomasz Kuszczak was injured during the warm up. He was replaced by Peter Brezovan who started his first game in over a year.
Brezovan was named on the bench in place of the injured Casper Ankergren.
After just nine minutes Albion were in front from a superb searching cross from David Lopez, coolly slotted home by Barnes. Lopez was far more like his old self after a poor performance against Barnsley on Tuesday (3 December).
Rohan Ince, recalled to the starting line up, was unlucky with a header from a Conway cross as Albion looked to double their advantage early on.
Jamie Vardy got in a good position for Leicester but was denied by a great defensive tackle from Matt Upson.
Then Brezovan saved well from Lloyd Dyer. Albion suffered yet another defensive casualty as Captain Gordon Greer limped off with an injury and was replaced by local lad Adam El-Abd.
Minutes later Lopez swept in another great cross which Conway blasted into the net to put Albion 2-0 up with just half an hour gone.
Albion tried to keep hold of the ball for the remainder of the half with one more chance falling to Ince before half time.
Lopez and Liam Bridcutt were lively for Albion at the start of the second half as Leicester desperately tried to find a way back into the match. Ex-Albion loanee Chris Wood was beginning to put himself about but was well marshalled by El-Abd.
Andy King pulled a goal back for Leicester just after the hour, heading in Tony Knockaert’s free kick.
Brezovan was then called on to make two great stops, first from substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher then another effort from King.
All Leicester’s renewed pressure was undone with 15 minutes to go as Wes Morgan pushed Barnes in the penalty area and the Albion striker stroked home the resulting spot kick to put the Seagulls 3-1 in front.
Before the end Kazenga LuaLua made his comeback from injury replacing the impressive Lopez. And Brezovan made a couple of routine stops as the Albion moved up a place to tenth in the Championship, just three points outside the play off places.
