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Birmingham 1-2 Brighton: Colin Calderwood and Gary Rowett

Steve Sidwell of Brighton has a point blank header saved by Birmingham goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak
Image: Steve Sidwell gets up for a header at Birmingham

Brighton assistant Colin Calderwood insists the Seagulls have to go for broke to ensure they have a chance of promotion after a 2-1 win at Birmingham.

Lewis Dunk's winner kept them third and a point behind the Sky Bet Championship top two following the comeback victory.

Connor Goldson's first goal for the club cancelled out Kyle Lafferty's debut opener for the hosts as their play-off hopes begin to fade.

But Brighton remain in the automatic promotion hunt, just two points off the top, and face second-placed Middlesbrough on the final day of the season with Calderwood eyeing a dramatic finish.

"If you really want to go for it you have to chase the three points and get them," Calderwood said. "Winning tonight helps us but it won't take us up.

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Highlights of the Championship match between Birmingham and Brighton from St Andrew's

"We weren't aware (of Middlesbrough being 2-0 up at half-time) but whether Middlesbrough win or lose, if we win every game we'll have a chance. Well, we won't have a chance, we'll be up.

"If we sit here now everyone would want to be involved with a result which could give them a chance. Everyone has experienced highs and lows on the final day and we hope to be involved in some of the action towards the end.

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"It was a calm performance, losing the first goal doesn't help but I thought we remained calm. It was important the equaliser came before half-time. We had to play a little bit quicker but they stuck to what they were good at."

Norwich loanee Lafferty, who shrugged off a groin injury to make his Birmingham bow, tapped in after 16 minutes when David Stockdale failed to hold Jacques Maghoma's strike.

Brighton's Connor Goldson (centre) celebrates after scoring
Image: Brighton's Connor Goldson (centre) celebrates after scoring

But two headers from Goldson and Dunk left the hosts 11 points from the top six after just two wins in their last 11 league games.

Boss Gary Rowett said: "I've warned the players if they think they can take their foot off the gas then they'll be coming in on Sundays and their days off.

"I think I'd look a bit stupid if I said we could still get into the play-offs now, the gap's 11 points. The goal just after half-time sucked the life out of us. It was all huff and puff after that.

"I was really pleased with Kyle, when I took him off a fan was screaming he was our only chance of a goal, but he hasn't played a lot of football and needs to be fitter."

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