Scarborough 1, Brighton and Hove Albion 2

The fluctuating fortunes of life in the Third Division were keenly felt at the McCain Stadium as Scarborough suffered their fourth defeat in five games.

A year ago Boro despatched Brighton 2-1 on their march towards a play-off place, while Albion struggled at the Nationwide League's basement.

But goals from Jeff Minton and Gary Hart sealed a similar scoreline in the visitor's favour yesterday, leaving the Seadogs floundering at the table's foot.

Boro's home record - among the best in the division last term - now reads played three, lost three and Saturday's 3-0 win at Leyton Orient is proving an exception to the rule for manager Mick Wadsworth's men.

Sloppy Scarborough play was at the heart of their Brighton downfall.

The opening goal, a beautifully flighted Minton free kick from 25 yards, resulted from Alex Mirankov's rather clumsy wrestle on wiry Jamie Moralee in the 25th minute.

The second goal found it's origins in an awful attempted cross by Boro's Liam Robinson.

Moralee quickly swept the ball into the Boro half where Hart out muscled skipper John Kay before steering round 'keeper Tony Elliott and beating Richard Jackson's lunge on the line.

The hosts launched six largely lame shots on Mark Walton's goal but only had Wayne Bullimore's lashing injury time half-volley as reward.

Their best effort prior to that late goal was a Gareth Williams header grasped by Walton at point blank range.

An administrative hitch delayed the debut of Boro's new signing Andy Saville but his introduction cannot come soon enough for Wadsworth, whose side are rooted to the bottom with Shrewsbury and Carlisle.

"We shot ourselves in the foot yet again but for all that I didn't think the first goal should have been because it was never a free kick," said Wadsworth.

"I felt some of the referee's decisions were strange but I thought some of our performances were strange as well. I think we looked lacklustre and jaded, as opposed to what we did on Saturday.

"It is a shame about this Bank Holiday nonsense of playing two games in three days, but it was the same for Brighton.

"At times we looked okay and at times we looked disjointed. The good thing is we have Andy Saville to come in and there are a lot of games left yet."

Meanwhile, assistant manager Ray McHale returned to the McCain Stadium yesterday after winning his battle against cancer.

But youth team coach Glyn Snodin departed to join his younger brother Ian as joint manager of Conference side Doncaster Rovers.

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