THE SADDLERS fell to a second home defeat in a row as Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to win 2-1 at a wet and windy Banks's Stadium.

A nice touch by Tommy Mooney found Stefan Moore who was fouled in the second minute to give Lee Holmes a free-kick in a promising position which he curled around the defensive wall as Michel Kuipers did well to tip around the post.

Then Mooney got in front of his marker to fire over from close range as Walsall began with purpose.

The visitors had to defend for their lives on the quarter-hour mark when Mooney, Moore and Kevin Betsy all made their presence felt and saw efforts blocked.

At the other end, Glenn Murray's deft header set Nicky Forster away and as he beat Ian Roper, he fired wide from a good position.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Anthony Gerrard was on hand to clear off the line as Brighton threatened through Murray and Forster after an attack down the right-hand side.

The Saddlers went ahead just before the half-hour when a Holmes free-kick was perfect for the head of Gerrard whose effort was planted beyond the despairing dive of Kuipers.

It wasn't long before the equaliser arrived as Forster turned Roper before getting in a speculative low shot that somehow found its way through Clayton Ince.

As half-time approached, Betsy looked to seize upon some hesitation in The Seagulls' defence but was guided too wide to make an impact by Kuiper and the chance was lost.

There was a positive start to the second period for Richard Money's men and an inviting cross from the right was headed narrowly wide of his own goal by Matt Richards.

Whilst it was The Saddlers who were enjoying most of the possession, the visitors launched a counter-attack through Murray whose effort was saved by Ince.

On 56 minutes there was a double change with Troy Deeney and Richard Taundry replacing Moore and Bradley.

Just before the hour a teasing cross was delivered into the danger zone by Dean Cox but evaded everyone on its way out.

At the other end, Taundry's free-kick was headed just over by Betsy and one of the loudest cheers of the evening came as Kuipers finally took the resulting goal-kick after waiting for the swirling wind to die down.

As the rain lashed down, Weston drilled an effort well wide before another cross from Cox was headed just over by the ever-willing Murray.

The visitors snatched the lead on 77 minutes when a cross to the far post was headed home from close range by Murray.

David McDermott was introduced in place of Boertien as the clock ticked down and then with four minutes to go, Taundry was given a straight red card for his involvement in a fracas with Joel Lynch. Players from both sides became involved as Lynch escaped with a yellow card. The upshot was actually a Walsall free-kick which came to nothing.

In the end it was another home set-back for The Saddlers. 

PHOTOS: David Linney Photography