BRIGHTON 1
Lossl (og, 29)
HUDDERSFIELD 1
Mounie (33) Ten-man Brighton blew the opportunity to take a giant step towards Premier League safety by squandering a hatful of chances to draw with Huddersfield.
Davy Propper should have handed Brighton the perfect start, but he fired wide with just the keeper to beat.
The Holland midfielder’s glaring miss stunned the hosts for some 10 minutes, until they left another fine opening unconverted.
This time it was Jose Izquierdo who should have done better when through on goal, with Jonas Lossl just beating him to Glenn Murray’s slide-rule pass.
Lossl’s earlier heroics counted for nothing when his clanger gifted Brighton the opener.
The Denmark stopper should have dealt comfortably with Solly March’s regulation 20-yard drive, but instead he palmed the low effort on to a post – with the rebound cannoning off his body and rolling over the line.
Brighton made an error to let the Terriers draw level in the 32nd minute. Shane Duffy’s miscued back pass left Mathew Ryan in no man’s land and only able to watch on as Mounie rounded him and poked the ball into the empty net.
Huddersfield’s sevenhour Premier League goal drought was over, and palpable relief seemed to flow immediately through the visitors.
Brighton dominated from the off after the break, but could find no end product as their rather jittery build-up play looked set to continue.
Lewis Dunk nodded wide when he should have scored from March’s free-kick, Dale Stephens saw his rising effort tipped over the bar, and Duffy had a header easily kept out by Lossl.
That studs-up sliding tackle on Hogg then ended Propper’s afternoon prematurely, courtesy of a red card that was perhaps necessary, but seemed on the harsh side.
Hughton’s immediate reaction was to sacrifice one of his few creative outlets, Pascal Gross, with Beram Kayal tasked to add stability, but also whatever possible impetus to proceedings.
Izquierdo still had time to fluff another cast-iron opportunity – the Colombia forward latching onto Leonardo Ulloa’s through-ball, only to choke in front of goal and let Lossl smother the ball.