Half-time: Brighton 2 Brentford 0

Goals from Anthony Knockaert and Tomer Hemed left Brentford facing an uphill task at the Amex Stadium.

Knockaert started and finished the move that led to Brighton’s 27th-minute opener.

He found Jamie Murphy on the left and when the Scot cut inside and returned the ball to the Frenchman, Knockaert fired past keeper David Button and into the bottom corner.

Knockaert had been involved in much of the early action, seeing two efforts flash wide before Brighton keeper David Stockdale produced a fine save to deny Alan Judge.

Hemed shot into the side netting shortly after Albion went ahead, but he made no mistake with a header two minutes before half-time after Beram Kayal went past Josh McEachran with ease and crossed from the right.