Brighton 4-1 Burton: Tomer Hemed scores twice in comfortable win for Seagulls

Tomer Hemed scored twice, including a penalty, as Brighton recorded a 4-1 thrashing of relegation-threatened Burton Albion.

The Seagulls, involved in a battle with Newcastle at the Championship summit, now boast six successive home league wins and have taken 25 of the last 27 points available at the Amex. Striker Sam Baldock and Glenn Murray hit Brighton's other goals.

Israel international striker Hemed pounced to give the Seagulls the perfect start with the lead after only five minutes, steering the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box after a cross to the far post by winger Anthony Knockaert.

The Seagulls enjoyed plenty of early possession and Steve Sidwell saw a deflected shot fly over from a cross by Solly March, who was making only his third start after a year out with knee trouble.

Burton keeper Jon McLaughlin later denied March on the edge of the area as the visitors, who have not kept a clean sheet since November 5, were put on the back foot.

The visitors, struggling to make an impression on Brighton's goal, appeared hard done by not to have been awarded a penalty shortly before the break when Dale Stephens clipped the onrushing Lucas Akins just inside the area.

Brighton doubled their advantage only two minutes after the break when recalled striker Baldock, who had missed the previous five games with a calf injury, scored his 100th career goal.

Former Bristol City marksman Baldock steered the ball home from three yards after March, released by Sidwell, played him in across the face of the goal.

Hemed made the game safe with a 57th-minute penalty after the lively March was brought down by skipper John Mousinho. Keeper McLaughlin was given no chance as Hemed coolly slotted the ball home to his right.

Seagulls keeper David Stockdale excelled himself soon after by parrying a right-footed shot from Marvin Sordell, who created the chance by smartly cutting inside Lewis Dunk. But the Brighton keeper was beaten on 75 minutes when Kightly, on loan from Burnley, curled in a superb free-kick which went in off the post.

Striker Murray came off the bench to head Brighton's fourth seven minutes from time from a perfect cross by Knockaert.

Brighton boss Chris Hughton:

"We went so close last year. It has certainly been a motivational thing for the players to want to go that one step further. Also, our recruitment in the summer has made us a bit stronger.

"We're scoring goals from plenty of sources and we need that to sustain where we are; you have to have the ability to score goals. In this game I had my top-scorer on the bench but you need both (Murray and Hemed) pushing for the positions.

"Glenn's first away goal was after he came off the bench, and Tomer scored for us from the bench in our previous draw at Brentford. "

Burton boss Nigel Clough:

"We have five or six players missing so no one would have expected us to get anything. I am disappointed with the goals that we conceded but the pleasing thing is that we didn't crumble.

"We pulled in back to 3-1 when Michael Kightly scored from a free-kick, and had we got another then it might have made it interesting. But there was a gulf in quality in both penalty areas. When you put balls into the box, (Shane) Duffy and (Lewis) Dunk hurt you, and then Brighton could bring Glenn Murray off the bench to help them with 20 minutes to go."