By Ian Parkes, PA Sport
Click here for full match stats
Sheffield United moved a step nearer the promised land of the Premiership -
which is where they will need to be next season if they are to keep hold of
Michael Brown.
The Blades have tempted Brown with a lucrative new contract, a deal which has
been on the table for the last month, as a number of top-flight clubs have been
monitoring the £5million-rated midfielder.
Brown showed just why he is so highly prized by scoring another stunning
strike to maintain United's push for a play-off place, lifting Neil Warnock's
side up to third in Nationwide Division One following Reading's defeat at
Ipswich.
Brown has proven something of a specialist with goals from outside the area
this season, and after being upended by Albion skipper Danny Cullip in the 'D'
in the 34th minute, he duly fired United back into a lead they never looked like
relinquishing.
The 26-year-old's 20-yard free-kick was driven precisely to the right-hand
side of the wall and into the bottom corner beyond goalkeeper Dave Beasant, soon
to be 44, sending Albion back into the bottom three.
It was Brown's 17th goal of the season, and his 12th from distance,
overshadowing the craft of another player who could be on his way during the
close season - Bobby Zamora.
The Brighton striker, linked with Tottenham, showed pace and power in the 14th
minute, striding into the Blades box before getting the better of United skipper
Rob Page and goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.
Although the ball then ran kindly for the 22-year-old, Zamora had earned his
luck and he was able to tee up Richard Carpenter for a simple sidefoot
equaliser.
The goal signified Brighton's insistence they are no pushovers these days,
after they had fallen behind in the fifth minute to Dean Windass' sixth goal in
13 games for the Blades this season.
Michael Tonge and Phil Jagielka initially combined, with the latter's angled
through ball allowing Windass to flick the ball home off Beasant.
The league's oldest professional had turned down an approach by Warnock
earlier this season as he was not prepared to play second fiddle to Kenny, who
underlined his growing reputation on the stroke of half time.
Zamora was given a clear sight of goal, however Brighton's 11-goal leading
scorer saw his attempted flick superbly saved at point-blank range by the
impressive Kenny.
It was virtually Zamora's last kick of the match - he was substituted early in
the second half after carrying a knock through the opening 45 minutes.
Relegation-threatened Brighton, although not a one-man team, then struggled
without their main inspiration, with Kenny rarely troubled after the break.
United should have taken advantage and added a third as the game progressed,
but Beasant proved age is no barrier to form and fitness as he produced fine
saves to deny substitutes Owen Morrison and Paul Peschisolido.
Teams
Sheff Utd: Kenny, Jagielka, Murphy, Page, Kozluk,
Ndlovu (Morrison 69), Brown, McCall (Curtis 45), Tonge,
Windass, Kabba (Peschisolido 58).
Subs Not Used: Allison, Javary.
Booked: Jagielka, Windass, Kenny.
Goals: Windass 5, Brown 34.
Brighton: Beasant, Ingimarsson, Cullip, Blackwell, Watson,
Rodger (Jones 41), Carpenter (Oatway 67), Brooker, Mayo,
Zamora (Barrett 48), Hart.
Subs Not Used: Wilkinson, Packham.
Booked: Cullip, Zamora, Oatway, Watson.
Goals: Carpenter 14.
Att: 19,357
Ref: M Fletcher (Worcestershire).
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