Huddersfield 1-2 Brighton: Referee got big decisions wrong, says David Wagner

Huddersfield manager David Wagner described football as "absolutely no fun" after seeing "big" decisions go against his side in Saturday's 2-1 home loss to Brighton.

The hosts took the lead inside a minute at the John Smith's Stadium but were reduced to 10 men just after the half-hour when Steve Mounie was penalised for a high challenge on Yves Bissouma.

Wagner felt his side should have been awarded a penalty just before half-time when Alex Pritchard was brought down by Pascal Gross, and was also unhappy that a tackle by Brighton's Leon Balogun on Erik Durm did not result in a dismissal.

"We have to accept the referee's decision and he thought it was a red card," Wagner said of Mounie's challenge.

"The next big decision was a clear penalty on Pritchard and a red card because it was a clear chance.

"We only discuss referees' decisions. All the big ones against us he got wrong."

Mathias Jorgensen gave Huddersfield the lead after 55 seconds - the fastest goal in the Premier League this season - when he headed in off the post after Brighton had failed to clear their lines.

The visitors made their numerical advantage count following Mounie's dismissal, Shane Duffy equalising deep into added time at the end of the first half, before Florin Andone struck from close range after the break.

"This is why at the moment football is no fun, absolutely no fun," added Wagner. "The referee has a big part to play and I don't think he did his best. Even if he didn't mean to.

"I don't like to be disrespectful but I don't want to discuss anything else apart from the referee's decisions. We don't have to discuss anything in football, nothing."

• Relive the action at the John Smith's Stadium

Terriers fail to build on fast start

Having taken just three points from their first 10 games, Huddersfield had won two and drawn one of their previous three league matches to climb out of the relegation zone.

Wagner's side could hardly have wished for a better start as they took the lead inside the opening minute.

Philip Billing's long throw caused chaos in the Brighton rearguard as Bruno mis-hit his clearance straight to Jorgensen, whose header struck the inside of the post on its way past Mat Ryan.

Mounie thumped a powerful effort over the crossbar not long afterwards as the Terriers laid siege to the Brighton goal.

The Frenchman's straight red card for a high challenge on Bissouma proved to be the turning point, though.

Duffy's header on the stroke of half-time from Solly March's excellent cross galvanised the visitors, whose winning goal came following a period of sustained pressure.

Patient Seagulls claim rare away win

Only Cardiff and Fulham had collected fewer away points than Brighton prior to Saturday's encounter.

The Seagulls' travel sickness looked set to continue following Jorgensen's early opener, but Chris Hughton's team eventually gained a stranglehold on proceedings in West Yorkshire.

Jonathan Hogg somehow managed to block Andone's goal-bound effort on the line after Duffy's header had been saved by Lossl.

Jose Izquierdo also forced Lossl into action with a curling effort from the edge of the box, before Duffy's powerful header levelled.

Brighton, who had left top scorer Glenn Murray on the bench, remained firmly in control after the break and got the second goal their superiority deserved when Andone ghosted in front of his marker to head in March's pin-point cross.

The win ends the Seagulls' three-match winless run and lifts Hughton's side nine points clear of the Premier League's bottom three.

Man of the match - Solly March (Brighton)

Solly March set up both Brighton goals with a pair of exquisite crosses. The 24-year-old has now registered four assists in his last four league appearances.

Jorgensen goal fastest since January - the stats

• Huddersfield have won just one of their last 10 Premier League home games, drawing two and losing seven.

• Brighton have scored in seven consecutive league games for the first time since February 2017, when they put together a run of nine.

• Huddersfield have scored in three consecutive home league games for the first time since December 2017.

• Brighton have won two of their last four Premier League away games (L2), as many victories as they managed in their previous 23 on the road in the competition (D6 L15).

• Mathias Jorgensen's goal after 55 seconds was the fastest scored in the Premier League since 31 January, when Christian Eriksen netted after 11 seconds for Tottenham v Manchester United.

• Florin Andone is the first Romanian to score in the Premier League since Vlad Chiriches netted for Tottenham against Fulham in December 2013.

'We made the extra man show' - what the managers said

Huddersfield manager David Wagner: "I have to have consistency in decisions and from my point of view this wasn't the case.

"I really like how my players fought and how they tried to keep their head high against all these decisions.

"This is for sure not easy but this will bring us even more together as a group to show everybody that it's important. You only want the feeling you get judged fair and this wasn't the case today."

Brighton manager Chris Hughton: "We were good after conceding the early goal. When they went down to 10 men you have to try and capitalise on that. It was completely different this week. We played against 10 men last week and didn't do enough on the ball but we did today.

"It is difficult when you are the team with 11 men but we made the extra man show and Florin Andone's goal was excellent.

"It is an important three points away from home. It is important we are picking up points. It feels like a big one for us as well."

What's next?

Huddersfield travel to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday, 4 December (kick-off 19:45 GMT), while Brighton host rivals Crystal Palace at the same time.