Goals in each half from Maxim De Cuyper and Stefanos Tzimas earned Brighton a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
The Seagulls secured their third win in four to climb to fifth in the Premier League table and the result also served as sweet revenge for the 7-0 thrashing they suffered at this ground back in February.
Brighton dominated the proceedings before Forest worked their way back into it, but Fabian Hurzeler’s team broke the deadlock with their 13th shot of the half as De Cuyper grabbed his second goal of the season.
Matz Sels produced a stunning double save to keep Forest in contention during the second period while Bart Verbruggen denied Igor Jesus down the other end, yet Brighton sealed the points late in the piece through substitute Tzimas’ first goal of the league campaign.
Defeat for Forest ended their five-game unbeaten run in all competitions and was just a second league loss since Sean Dyche arrived as boss, leaving them still just a point above the relegation places.
Brighton had the hosts pinned back in their own half for the majority of the opening minutes which created a large sense of nervousness around the City Ground, De Cuyper twice swinging a cross in behind Forest’s backline which the visitors failed to capitalise on.
The away side were edging closer to an early goal as well, with a flurry of shots blocked from going in before Ibrahim Sangare blocked Georginio Rutter’s goalbound strike.
Forest did nothing in the way of threatening Brighton’s goal, Morgan Gibbs-White skying an effort high wide over the bar to sum up their opening quarter.
The hosts seemed to have weathered the early Brighton storm and registered the first shot on target as Verbruggen dealt with
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