Birmingham City 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

Lewis Dunk's winning goal gave Brighton a fifth win in eight games

Brighton kept the pressure on their Championship automatic promotion rivals with victory at Birmingham, whose hopes of a play-off place all but ended.

Birmingham led when on-loan Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty slotted in a debut goal, but a glancing Connor Goldson header drew Brighton level.

In-form defender Lewis Dunk then rose highest at a corner to nod Brighton ahead shortly after the break.

Brighton were rarely troubled late on and remain one point off the top two.

• PODCAST: Middlesbrough make it tight at the top

Birmingham remain ninth but are now 11 points behind the top six, after wins for Sheffield Wednesday and Derby.

Gary Rowett's side have won just twice in 10 matches, while Brighton extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

Both Seagulls goals came from Jiri Skalak set-piece deliveries, with both Goldson and Dunk out-jumping their markers to convert fine crosses.

Birmingham struggled to create significant chances in the second half as Brighton held on relatively comfortably, and substitute James Wilson should have added a third in the closing stages.

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett:

"I've warned the players if they think they can take their foot off the gas then they'll be coming in on Sundays and their days off.

"I think I'd look a bit stupid if I said we could still get into the play-offs now, the gap's 11 points.

"I was really pleased with Kyle Lafferty, when I took him off a fan was screaming he was our only chance of a goal, but he hasn't played a lot of football and needs to be fitter."

Brighton assistant manager Colin Calderwood:

"If you really want to go for it you have to chase the three points and get them. Winning tonight helps us but it won't take us up.

"We weren't aware of Middlesbrough being 2-0 up at half-time, but whether Middlesbrough win or lose, if we win every game we'll have a chance. Well, we won't have a chance, we'll be up.

"Everyone has experienced highs and lows on the final day and we hope to be involved in some of the action towards the end."