Tuesday 27 December 2016 15:41, UK
Chris Hughton hailed his Brighton side's "big win" after they beat QPR 3-0 at the Amex on Tuesday.
Goals from Sam Baldock, Glenn Murray and Anthony Knockaert helped them see off QPR, who saw Nedum Onuoha dismissed in the second half, and climb to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.
Hughton was delighted with his side after they saw off Ian Holloway's depleted team, but insisted there is still a lot of work to do between now and the end of the season.
"It was a big win for us, but it's only the first in this mini-series of three games and we certainly weren't at our best today, particularly in the first half," he told Sky Sports. "But we found a way to win the game, and Baldock's goal set us off on the right [path].
"There was a period in the first half where QPR used the ball well and worked it through the thirds very well, and we were desperate not to concede.
"What we can do is find a way of scoring a goal, and I think we deserve to be where we are. But there's an awful long way to go."
Brighton were denied promotion to the Premier League on the final day of last season, before losing out in the play-off semi-finals, and Hughton believes that experience has helped his squad in their latest push.
"There's a resilience [in the squad] no doubt," he said. "It's come from the experience of last season and we also recruited well in the summer. I think we're stronger as a squad than last season and there's a real desire at this club at the moment.
"We're also very conscious of how difficult this league is and how tough these games are, but at the moment we're doing very well."
