Chris Hughton says his side were unfortunate not to get anything from their top of the table Championship clash last night against Newcastle United.
Brighton were beaten 2-1 at the AmEx Stadium, with a huge slice of good fortune helping the visitors get back into the game.
Mohamed Diame's equalising goal in the 81st minute was a bizarre flicked goal which looped into the top right hand corner of the net. This gave Rafa Benitez's side the boost to go on and take all three points late on.
"It's difficult to take because I thought we were very much in the game," he said after the game. "Not our best game, but very much in the game and one we didn't deserve to lose.
"We know the quality that they've got and it showed by their second goal. Up until the equaliser, I thought we worked out the way that they played, we coped with it very well.
"They threatened because of the quality that they've got but we felt that we could hold out. It's a really fortunate goal that gets them back in. At that stage they're in the ascendancy and you'd have to say it's a quality goal that gets them the winner."
Diame's flicked goal somehow finds its way into the net on Tuesday night against Brighton. Image: John Walton/EMPICS Sport
Hughton admitted he was keen to protect a point from the game in the final 10 minutes as they dropped deeper into their own half.
"They're a team who are in the ascendancy at that particular moment. They can make changes and when you see the quality of both the changes and what they've got on the pitch, then it's about securing what you've got.
"It was one bit of quality that has undone us in the end. It's a hard night because I feel we definitely deserve that."
Of their upcoming game this weekend away to Nottingham Forest he said: "The games come thick and fast in this division. But you've got to pick yourselves up. We are where we are for a reason. We need the lads to pick themselves up and go again on Saturday.
"We'll take going up in whatever form that is. We were up against a team who were very, very strong favourites."
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