Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - 1 Leicester City

Leicester moved to within two points of the First Division leaders Portsmouth with their fifth away win of the season. Brian Deane's solitary, headed goal midway through the second half was rather less than Leicester deserved for an evening of dominance.

Brighton, hoping to move out of the relegation zone for the first time since the end of August, were well beaten.

The match, which kicked off 15 minutes late because of congestion, started with a warm welcome for the former Brighton manager Micky Adams.

Adams left Brighton for Leicester 14 months ago after leading the club to the Third Division championship and then to third place in the Second Division before Peter Taylor clinched another champion- ship. There was only the occasional cry of "There's only one Peter Taylor" from the minority who have never forgiven Adams for his departure.

Coppell said yesterday: "Micky was without doubt the catalyst from the wilderness years for Albion. He organised a team with limited resources. I have great respect for him as a manager and I know the Albion public have got him very much in their hearts."

Adams was greeted back despite his admission before the match that local hero Bobby Zamora would be top of his shopping list in the event of Leicester winning promotion and money being made available to him by the Gary Lineker-led consortium. Adams signed Zamora from Bristol Rovers and the forward went into this match having scored 68 goals for the club in 105 matches.

Brighton welcomed back the wing-back Paul Watson, after a one-match ban, but were again without the stricken striker Paul Kitson, this time with a groin strain suffered in training. Leicester brought back Deane, who had completed a two-game suspension.

Leicester's easy superiority was evident as soon as the second minute when Paul Dickov brought a simple save from Michael Kuipers. Nor could anyone accuse Leicester of being less than fully committed. Both Muzzy Izzet and Matt Heath were booked for over-zealous challenges on Nathan Jones and Bobby Zamfora.

Brighton, though, defended doggedly against Leicester's three-man forward line and the nearest they came to conceding a goal in the first half was in the 20th minute when a deflected shot hit the left post.

The second half started as a heavy mist descended on the Withdean stadium. Brighton now looked myopic, but in an isolated counter-attack Nathan Jones shot wildly over in the 53rd minute after Graham Barrett's cross from the left. But Leicester continued to dominate as though playing at home.

Brighton had another opportunity just before the hour when they won a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area following a foul on Richard Carpenter. But Barrett's free kick curled narrowly wide.

In the 65th minute a frustrated Leicester replaced Dickov with Nicky Summerbee.

Brighton were given a warning of what was to come in the 69th minute when a strong drive from Jordan Stewart was well saved by Kuipers. Two minutes later Leicester went ahead when Deane nodded in from Alan Rogers' free-kick.

Brighton (3-5-2): Kuipers; Pethick, Cullip, Mayo; Watson, Carpenter, Sidwell, Rodger, Jones; Zamora, Barrett.

Leicester (4-3-3): Walker; Impey, Elliott, Heath, Rogers; Izzet, McKinlay, Stewart; Deane, Scowcroft, Dickov.

Referee: Tony Bates.