Ipswich Town 2-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

Kazenga LuaLua (centre) has scored four goals this season, while Tomer Hemed (right) now has three

Brighton beat Ipswich Town in a five-goal thriller to leapfrog the Tractor Boys and go top of the Championship.

Early goals from Kazenga LuaLua and Tomer Hemed gave Albion a 2-0 lead at half-time but the home side fought back after the break.

Freddie Sears tapped in to pull one back and substitute David McGoldrick equalised from the spot after Bruno fouled Ryan Fraser.

But Hemed nodded in two minutes later to hand the Seagulls victory.

Brighton wore black armbands to pay tribute to Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt, two victims of the Shoreham air crash, while Albion goalkeeper David Stockdale wore a special shirt in the warm-up and personalised gloves bearing the duo's names.

Ipswich and Brighton had both made unbeaten starts to the league campaign, each taking 10 points from four games, but the visitors stunned Portman Road with two quick first-half goals.

First LuaLua latched on to a ball forward from Gaetan Bong and drove a low left-footed shot across Dean Gerken, and then Hemed got a faint touch on Dale Stephens' free-kick.

Sears twice went close for Ipswich just before the break, while Albion defender Uwe Hunemeier was lucky not to receive a second yellow card for a high foot.

Town boss Mick McCarthy made a double substitution at half-time and, after Stephens drove a shot against the upright for Brighton, he was rewarded when Sears pounced to score after Brett Pitman had hit the post.

The home side were level on 65 minutes when McGoldrick held his nerve from the spot but moments later Hemed got his second from LuaLua's deflected cross to restore Brighton's lead.

Bobby Zamora came on as a late substitute for his first appearance since re-joining Brighton this summer, and the former England striker helped the Seagulls to close out the game.

The Sussex club are now three points clear at the top of the Championship table heading into the international break.

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy: "I think Brighton are a very good side, they started well and were the better team.

"In the first half they were excellent - you have to give them credit. But I thought our response in the second half was great.

"Then their third goal came off a deflected cross which wrong-footed my defenders, though we also made a few little errors leading up to it.

"Now we know what everyone else (in the league) feels like."

Brighton boss Chris Hughton: "It was a super game and a very good spectacle for the Championship.

"We were the better team at 2-0, but the only disappointment for me was that we allowed them to come back to 2-2, which I didn't think was a fair reflection of the game.

"But we showed great character to go on and win the game and overall I thought we had the right balance between defending well and breaking quickly."

David Stockdale wore a shirt paying tribute to two victims of the Shoreham air crash during the warm-up

Brighton & Hove Albion wore black armbands to honour Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt

Chris Hughton's Brighton side remain unbeaten and are three points clear at the top of the Championship