Patrick McCarthy and Iain Hume gave Leicester's Coca-Cola Championship survival hopes a huge shot in the arm with the early goals which sank relegation rivals Brighton at the Withdean Stadium.

The shell-shocked Seagulls found themselves two behind in the opening five minutes and despite Alexandre Frutos pulling one back early in the second half they could not force an equaliser and had young midfielder Dean Hammond sent off in the final minute.

Leicester's caretaker-manager Rob Kelly did his chances of keeping the job a little longer no harm, however, by overseeing a third straight win to leave them six points above the Seagulls in the drop zone.

Home manager Mark McGhee's exhaustive search for a striker led him to his own youth team with 18-year-old Joe Gatting, son of former Albion stalwart Steve and nephew of ex-England cricket captain Mike, handed a full debut.

But it was at the other end Brighton fell apart as Leicester, for whom Guinea winger Momo Sylla was recalled upon his return from the African Nations Cup, caught their hosts napping early on.

They took a fourth-minute lead when captain McCarthy was left unmarked to stab home Joey Gudjonsson's corner, referee Steve Tanner waving away appeals from the Brighton defence that goalkeeper Wayne Henderson had been impeded.

And the punch-drunk hosts fell further behind when Gudjonsson latched onto a mistake by Adam El-Abd and played in Hume, who rounded Henderson and tucked the ball away from a tight angle.

Matt Fryatt, with three goals in four matches since his move from Walsall, could have added a third but for a last-ditch tackle from El-Abd.

Brighton's best chance of the first half fell to Sebastien Carole in stoppage time but the Frenchman prodded a Frutos cross harmlessly wide.

Carole got the better of full-back Richard Stearman shortly after the interval but Patrick Kisnorbo got to his cross just before Gary Hart as Brighton went for broke.

And they were gifted a lifeline in the 56th minute when Rab Douglas inexplicably punched an up-and-under from Hammond straight to Frutos, who smacked the ball home from 12 yards for his third goal of the season.

Gatting was presented with a superb chance to open his professional account, but when the ball fell to him from Guy Butters' blocked attempt, the rookie frontman fired wastefully over the top.

Carole then skinned Arsenal loanee Smith on the right and forced a smart near-post save from Douglas, before Hart shot straight at the Scot following a goalmouth scramble.

Hume sent a free-kick wide in a brief respite for Leicester, while at the other end Richard Carpenter fired over.

Henderson was almost left red-faced late on when his punt was charged down by Fryatt but the former Aston Villa goalkeeper was able to clear.

Gatting sent another effort over after some neat trickery from Jake Robinson before Brighton's frustrating afternoon was capped by the dismissal of Hammond for a second bookable challenge on Gudjonsson.

Brighton Henderson, El-Abd, McShane, Butters, Reid,Carole (Robinson 72), Hammond, Carpenter, Frutos, Hart, Gatting.

Subs Not Used: Hinshelwood, Martin, Kazim-Richards, Lynch.

Sent Off: Hammond (89).

Booked: Hammond, Butters.

Goals: Frutos 56.

Leicester Douglas, Stearman, McCarthy, Kisnorbo, Johansson,Hughes, Wesolowski (Smith 54), Gudjonsson, Sylla, Fryatt,Hume (Gerrbrand 86), Smith (O'Grady 81).

Subs Not Used: Henderson, Hammond.

Booked: Hughes, O'Grady.

Goals: McCarthy 4, Hume 5.

Att: 7,187

Ref: S Tanner (Somerset).