Gus Poyet's first game in charge of Brighton ended with victory as they conquered Southampton 3-1 on Sunday.
New boss leaves St Mary's smiling after masterminding win
Gus Poyet's first game in charge of Brighton ended with victory as they conquered Southampton 3-1 on Sunday.
It was the best possible start for Poyet's managerial career, on his 42nd birthday, as his League One strugglers took an early two-goal lead thanks to a brace from Glenn Murray.
The Seagulls, whose main problem this season has been their leaky defence, were pegged backed when they conceded a penalty and Saints striker Rickie Lambert converted just before half-time.
Brighton goalkeeper Michel Kuipers had to be on top form to keep a dominant Southampton side at bay in the second-half, before Andrew Crofts sealed the deal late on as the visitors claimed just their second win of the campaign.
Poyet, who has had spells at Swindon, Leeds and Tottenham as an assistant, entered his first match as Brighton manager knowing that a defeat against an in-form Southampton would see the Seagulls replace the Saints in the relegation zone.
Keen Saints
Needless to say that Alan Pardew's side were keen to get out of the bottom four for what would have been the first time they would have managed such a feat following their 10-point deduction at the start of the season.
After a strong start by Pardew's men, the visitors came back strong and the Seagulls took a 16th minute lead when Murray applied a cool finish to cap off an excellent cross by winger Dean Cox.
Poyet was delighted and he had reason to be happy on his birthday again as Murray doubled his tally for the night as he taped in a 22nd effort, after seeing his original shot pushed onto the post by Calvin Davis before falling nicely at his feet.
Saints responded with a heavy bombardment of pressure which told when Andrew Whing was adjudged to have pulled Adam Lallana to the ground in the penalty area, allowing Lambert to go top of the scoring charts with his 12th goal of the season a minute before half-time.
Poyet's team-talk during the interval did little to stem the Saints' flow as they continued to dominate proceedings throughout the second-half and Seagulls shot-stopper Kuipers made several key stops to deny an equalising goal.
And the home side's possession and territorial dominance counted for little when Crofts hammered home a third for the visitors on 86 minutes from some incisive play by substitute Liam Dickinson.
Brighton rise to 19th place while Southampton remain in the bottom four on 22 points.
