Gary Hart secured Brighton's first win since Boxing Day to ease boss Mark McGhee's troubles at the bottom and put a dent in Leeds' Coca-Cola Championship promotion hopes.

Midfielder Hart rifled home his first goal of the season in the 80th minute at the Withdean Stadium after Robbie Blake had cancelled out Paul Reid's early opener for the Seagulls with a controversial penalty.

Leeds went into the game on the back of four successive wins, but have yet to beat Brighton in the Championship following relegation and slipped further behind leading pair Reading and Sheffield United.

Brighton's Michel Kuipers was preferred to Flo Chaigneau in goal, while Reid and left-back Joel Lynch were also recalled to the starting line-up.

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell made just one change from the side that drew at Wigan in the FA Cup with Richard Cresswell replacing Rob Hulse.

Brighton, chasing their first league success since the win over QPR, stole a march in the 10th minute when Reid converted Alexandre Frutos' left-wing cross, their early breakthrough coming after Dean Hammond had seen his header hit the post.

The visitors responded via a Jonathon Douglas volley that was blocked by defender Adam El-Abd, who then cleared Blake's shot off the line.

Blake almost hauled Leeds level with a fine free-kick in the 30th minute. The striker's 25-yard effort was curling into the top corner, but at full-stretch Kuipers turned the ball away and Cresswell headed Lewis' subsequent corner over the crossbar.

Leeds wrestled more possession as the first half progressed with Shaun Derry prominent and Cresswell saw his 25-yard shot blocked by Guy Butters before the Yorkshiremen drew level seven minutes before the break.

Lewis was adjudged to have been fouled in the penalty area by Reid and Blake stepped forward to slam home his seventh goal of the season.

Brighton gave Leeds early warning of their intent after the restart when Sebastien Carole fired over the crossbar from 20 yards, while El-Abd was on hand again to block Liam Miller's shot from similar distance at the other end.

Both sides were struggling to carve out further chances and Blackwell sent on Hulse for Miller in a bid to snatch all three points with 20 minutes left.

But lowly Brighton regained the lead. Reid escaped down the right and his cross into the penalty area was thumped into the top corner by Gary Hart in the 80th minute.

Blackwell sent on David Healy for Blake and Danny Pugh for Lewis soon after, while McGhee withdrew Reid for Jake Robinson, but Leeds were growing frustrated and Hulse was booked for dissent.

Healy's 35-yard free-kick hit the wall and Cresswell's header from Kelly's cross whistled over the crossbar as Leeds slipped to their fifth away defeat of the season.

Teams:

Brighton Kuipers, El-Abd, McShane, Butters, Lynch, Hammond, Reid (Robinson 81), Carpenter, Frutos, Carole, Hart.

Subs Not Used: Mayo, Kazim-Richards, Tommy Elphick, Chaigneau.

Booked: Hammond, Carole, Hart.

Goals: Reid 10, Hart 80.

Leeds Sullivan, Kelly, Kilgallon, Butler, Crainey, Douglas, Derry, Miller (Hulse 69), Lewis (Pugh 82), Blake (Healy 78), Cresswell.

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Walton.

Booked: Kilgallon, Hulse.

Goals: Blake 38 pen.

Att: 7,415

Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).