Brighton 1-0 Watford: Pascal Gross bags winner after Heurelho Gomes blunder as Seagulls pick up first Premier League victory in eight games

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So rare had scoring a goal become for Brighton, when Pascal Gross’ shot sneaked under Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, Mathew Ryan simply could not resist.

The Seagulls stopper sprinted the length of the pitch to celebrate with his team-mates in the opposite corner as they secured their first Premier League home win since September.

Brighton had scored just once in their last six league fixtures – a Glenn Murray spot-kick during a 5-1 defeat by Liverpool – but they have a little relief at last.

Pascal Gross (2nd left) shoots to open the scoring during the second half of his side's clash against Brighton on Saturday

Anthony Knockaert (top) shows his delight after watching Heurelho Gomes (bottom) fail to deal with Gross' strike 

German midfielder Gross celebrates in front of the home supporters after finally giving the Seagulls the lead

The 26-year-old is mobbed by his team-mates after netting his third goal in the Premier League this season

Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes shows his dejection after his poor mistake allowed the home side to take the lead

MATCH FACTS, LIVE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE

Brighton (4-4-1-1): Ryan 6; Bruno 6, Goldson 7.5, Dunk 6.5, Suttner 6.5; Knockaert 6.5, Stephens 7, Propper 6, March 6.5 (Izquierdo 90+3); Gross 7 (Kayal 83); Hemed 6.5 (Murray 87)

Subs not used: Krul, Heunemeier, Schelotto, Baldock

Scorer: Gross (64) 

Manager: Chris Hughton 6.5

Watford (4-2-3-1): Gomes 5; Janmaat 6, Prodl 6, Kabasele 6, Holebas 6; Cleverley 6, Watson 6 (Capoue 74, 6); Carrillo 6, Pereyra 6 (Sinclair 71, 6), Richarlison 6; Gray 6 (Okaka 78)

Subs not used: Karnezis, Mariappa, Wague, Folivi 

Manager: Marco Silva 5.5

Referee: Paul Tierney 6

Attendance: 30,473

Man of the Match: Connor Goldson 

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Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross bagged the winner from the edge of the box. For more stats and facts, visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.

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‘Morale has never been low here,’ Chris Hughton said. ‘I have a group of players that knew it would be a difficult season.

‘I would have taken 12th (by Christmas). I’m happy but that is one half of the challenge gone. The second half of the season will not get any easier.’

As for Watford, the good news is they finally finished with 11 men. The bad news, they did very little to avoid making it six games without a win.

After 19 games last season, Walter Mazzarri’s Watford had won six, drawn four and lost nine. They now have an identical record under Marco Silva at the season’s halfway mark.

Watford right-back Daryl Janmaat (left) attempts to clear the ball to safety under pressure from Pascal Gross (right)

Peruvian forward Andre Carrillo unleashes a shot during a tight first half at the American Express Community Stadium

‘It is a bad run,’ Silva said. 'We lost the game because we did not perform well. It was not a good game to see. Not a lot of quality. They score one goal, a chance.

‘All together we achieved good results and we started (the season) well. I believe, I hope, I'm sure we can come together to change this situation.’

You would have forgiven Silva if his final instructions to the players had included: ‘For the love of God, do not get yourself sent off.’

Watford’s supporters had seen a player sent for an early shower in each of their last three top-flight games. No side had ever managed to receive red cards in four successive fixtures. Thankfully for them, referee Paul Tierney kept his cards in his pocket.

Tomer Hemed of Brighton sticks his foot out in an attempt to open the scoring in the Premier League clash

Belgian defender Christian Kabasele desperately attempts to block as Hemed fires a shot toward the Watford goal

With Brighton’s influential defender Shane Duffy suspended, Connor Goldson was making his Premier League debut – only nine months after undergoing heart surgery.

Goldson, then 24, feared his football career was over when routine screening in February revealed a swollen aorta, requiring an operation in March that left a six-inch scar on his chest.

He put in a man of the match performance here. ‘You have to wait for your chance,’ Hughton said afterwards, and Goldson certainly took it.

Brighton were on top in the first half and came closest after 15 minutes when Tomer Hemed burst into the box and fired a shot across the face of goal.

Stefano Okaka (right) had a golden opportunity to equalise at the death but he managed to knee the ball over the bar

Italian forward Stefano Okaka reacts after missing a golden chance to score an equaliser during injury time 

Anthony Knockaert later could have capitalised when Gomes spilled a cross into his feet but a heavy first touch saw the visitors survive.

Watford’s first chance came from a corner. A training ground move saw Tom Cleverley cross the ball outside of the box for Roberto Pereyra to fire a volley. Paul Scholes in his heyday might have finished it. Pereyra didn’t.

In the 30th minute, a Brighton corner was swung to the back post. Waiting, all on his own, was debutant Goldson. The 25-year-old’s header was tame, however, and Gomes got a hand to it. Watford knew it was a let-off.

Referee Tierney then sided with the visitors when Brighton wanted Christian Kabasele sent off – Silva must have feared the worst.

A through-ball by Solly March led to a footrace between Hemed and Kabasele. The Seagulls striker came off worse, feeling he was tripped. Tierney disagreed.

Players from both sides react after Referee Paul Tierney blows the full-time whistle at the Amex Stadium on Saturday

The Hornets secured their first shot on target in the 55th minute when a frustrated Richarlison stung the palms of Ryan.

Then, at last, a Brighton goal. With Watford’s defenders gifting him space, Gross shifted the ball on to his right foot and had a go. The German beat Gomes, who should have saved it.

It could have been 2-0 to Brighton when a corner found Lewis Dunk, though the defender’s header went wide. Watford’s Richarlison was left with the same feeling of missed opportunity when his own free header went out for a goal-kick.

Brighton were living dangerously with their slender lead. With the last kick of the game, Watford substitute Stefano Okaka could have fumbled the ball into the back of the net when Ryan failed to collect a cross. It went wide, summing up Silva’s day.