Saturday 10 December 2016 00:27, UK
Chris Hughton wants Brighton to maintain their consistency after they beat Leeds 2-0 on Friday to go top of the Sky Bet Championship.
Glenn Murray gave the Seagulls the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute after Kalvin Phillips was sent off for handball.
Tomer Hemed made sure of the points with another spot-kick late in the game as the Seagulls moved two points ahead of Newcastle at the top of the table.
"We'll talk no more about the following week or where we are in the table, but we have to be delighted. Not only with the table, but with the performances and consistency from this group of lads," said Seagulls boss Hughton.
"That's based on clean sheets, we've been a hard team to beat, but we've also got a lot of [attacking] quality in the team. It's important to keep these levels up."
While Brighton did not dominate at the Amex Stadium despite having an extra man, they largely looked in control and finally made sure of the win when Hemed scored their second goal in the 83rd minute.
"I thought it was a very good all-round performance against a very good side," added Hughton. "I think they will be there or thereabouts and they're on a tremendous run. We knew we'd have to be good all over the pitch today, and I thought we were.
"I don't think you're ever in control of a game when you're up against a good side, but I certainly felt we were the better side.
"At that stage [first penalty], if it looked like anybody was going to score, I thought it would have been us.
"We're the home side, the side that have to push the hardest, but it was certainly a turning point because you can't win games if you don't score goals.
"It was a nailed on penalty, the referee did very well to see it from his position, and certainly that changed the game in regards to goals."
Leeds boss Garry Monk did not dispute the two penalty decisions and acknowledged his side did not help themselves.
"I haven't seen them, but I understand they were penalties. We never gave ourselves a chance to show our best," he said.
"With respect to Brighton, I felt we made our own downfall. We never allowed ourselves to show our true best.
"We limited them even at 10 men to stay in the game, which was the plan at that point in the game. But there are not too many positives.
"We didn't allow ourselves to show our best. My work now is to refocus the players for Tuesday [against Reading]."
