Ten-man Brighton & Hove Albion were cruelly denied a point in the closing stages at the Cardiff City Stadium, as the hosts struck late to claim a 2-1 victory this afternoon.
Lewis Dunk headed the Seagulls into an early lead before Calum Paterson's close-range header levelled the contest, but a controversial red card for Dale Stephens before the break gave the Bluebirds a one-man advantage.
Albion frustrated their opponents for most of the second period, but Sol Bamba's goal after some desperate defending snatched all three points in the Welsh capital.
Lewis Dunk headed the Seagulls into an early lead before Calum Paterson's close-range header levelled the contest, but a controversial red card for Dale Stephens before the break gave the Bluebirds a one-man advantage.
Albion frustrated their opponents for most of the second period, but Sol Bamba's goal after some desperate defending snatched all three points in the Welsh capital.
Chris Hughton made two changes to the side that lost 3-1 away at Everton the previous week, with Martin Montoya and Anthony Knockaert replacing Bruno and the injured Alireza Jahanbakhsh respectively.
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres took his place on the bench for the first time in a Premier League game for the Seagulls.
With Remembrance Sunday taking place tomorrow, a minute’s silence was impeccably observed before kick-off to honour those servicemen and women who had fallen.
Albion got off to the perfect start with just seven minutes played courtesy of Dunk, who arrived at the back post to meet Solly March’s free kick with a downward header that beat Neil Etheridge.
City raced forward down the other end and had a chance to level the scores when Stephens brought down Josh Murphy on the edge of the area, but Victor Camarasa’s subsequent set-piece drifted harmlessly over the target.
The Seagulls almost doubled their advantage when Jose Izquierdo and Knockaert linked up well to tee up March, but his left-footed effort went wide.
Montoya was harshly judged to have fouled Kadeem Harris on the left, and Camarasa’s resulting free kick was cleared thanks to combined efforts from Shane Duffy and Glenn Murray.
Murray was involved at the attacking end of the pitch moments later following some good persistence by Gaetan Bong down the left, but the Seagulls frontman’s deflected strike was gathered by Etheridge.
Albion’s lead was wiped out with 27 minutes gone when Harris raced into the box, saw his cross take a fortuitous deflection off Bong, and Paterson was there to head in an equaliser.
Joe Ralls had a chance to turn the game on its head with a speculative left-footed volley from the edge of the box, but Maty Ryan was equal to it.
But Albion were reduced to ten men when Stephens was harshly shown a straight red card for a challenge on Greg Cunnigham, and City goalscorer Paterson was booked in the melee that followed.
The one-man disadvantage forced Hughton into a change, with Yves Bissouma introduced in place of March with five minutes of the first half remaining.
Ralls and Josh Murphy both had efforts from distances shortly before the break, only to see their shots go wide.
After a relatively quiet start to the second half, Harris almost gave Cardiff the lead in emphatic fashion, only to see his left-footed strike cannon off the crossbar, before Murphy blazed his follow-up strike over the bar.
The game became a rather scrappy affair with chances few and far between for either side, as Izquierdo blazed his shot over from distance.
The Colombian came much closer with his next opportunity, and after being teed up by Bissouma, the winger drove into a central position and saw his looping strike tipped over the bar by Etheridge.
Camarasa had an opportunity to steal the three points late on for Cardiff with a dipping effort, but Ryan adjusted his body to make a comfortable save.
But moments before five minutes of stoppage time were announced, Bamba fired a loose ball into the back of the net following a frantic spell of play inside Albion's penalty area which saw the ball strike the woodwork twice.
Albion were unable to find a reply of their own and Bamba's dramatic strike sealed the points.
But moments before five minutes of stoppage time were announced, Bamba fired a loose ball into the back of the net following a frantic spell of play inside Albion's penalty area which saw the ball strike the woodwork twice.
Albion were unable to find a reply of their own and Bamba's dramatic strike sealed the points.
ALBION: Ryan; Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bong; Knockaert, Stephens, Kayal, Izquierdo; March (Bissouma 39); Murray (Andone 63).
SUBS NOT USED: Steele (GK), Bruno, Balogun, Bernardo, Gyokeres.