Tomer Hemed goal against Cardiff sends Brighton back to top of Championship

Tomer Hemed’s second-half piledriver helped Brighton & Hove Albion defeat Cardiff City 1-0 and return to the top of the Championship.

The striker ensured Brighton, in front of a 26,688 crowd at the Amex Stadium, recorded their fifth successive home league win and moved two points above second-placed Newcastle United.

Cardiff, who had won their previous three league matches, were heading for a first clean sheet on the road since the opening day of the season before Hemed broke their resistance 17 minutes from time.

Brighton enjoyed early possession and City had a let-off when, following a quick throw, Solly March’s cross to the far post narrowly eluded Jamie Murphy.

The Israel international Hemed, leading the Brighton attack with Glenn Murray suspended, went close with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area.

Cardiff, who went into the game not having lost an away match at Brighton for 15 years, threatened when Joe Ralls fired into the side-netting after Junior Hoilett set up the chance. The visitors had an escape when the central defender Lewis Dunk failed to make contact from inside the six-yard box following a corner from Anthony Knockaert.

Knockaert fired a free-kick wide of the goalkeeper Allan McGregor’s left-hand post on the half-hour after Hoilett brought down Connor Goldson a yard outside the area.

The Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale pulled off two fine saves in quick succession to deny City, first tipping over a goal-bound header from the captain, Sean Morrison. Stockdale then parried a shot from 15 yards from Hoilett as Cardiff gained in confidence.

The on-loan Hull goalkeeper McGregor, making his away debut for Cardiff, did well at the other end to parry a stinging left-foot drive from March just before the interval.

Brighton should have broken the deadlock five minutes after the break when Hemed wastefully shot wide after March delivered a perfect cross just outside the six-yard box. March, playing just behind Hemed, set up the Israeli again with a neat pass and the striker’s low shot was taken by McGregor.

Cardiff had a lucky escape when, from a Knockaert free-kick, central defender Shane Duffy headed wide from a good position from close range.

The Brighton manager, Chris Hughton, made his first change after 71 minutes when Beram Kayal gave way to Oliver Norwood and, from a corner from the substitute, Goldson had a low shot blocked by Greg Halford.

Brighton clinched victory in the 73rd minute through Hemed, who latched on to a pass from Norwood before turning on the edge of the area and beating McGregor with a powerful shot.

McGregor prevented the hosts from doubling their lead by keeping out a goal-bound shot from Murphy late on.

At the Madejski Stadium, Roy Beerens scored the only goal as Reading got the better of their play-off rivals Fulham with a hard-fought 1-0 victory. The Royals went in front four minutes into the second half, when Beerens scored on the rebound after the Fulham goalkeeper David Button had saved John Swift’s penalty.

It was Reading’s 11th penalty award of the season and though six have been missed, they have followed up to score on five of the occasions.

Fulham competed vigorously throughout and should have levelled in the 90th minute. But after Liam Moore had fouled Lucas Piazon in the area, Chris Martin’s penalty was saved by the Reading goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi.

The original match on 30 December was abandoned at half-time, with the score at 0-0, due to fog at the Madejski. When the two teams met at Craven Cottage earlier in the month, Fulham won 5-0.

Fulham went into the match on a decent run of only one defeat in eight league matches, having scored at least one goal in each of their past 13 fixtures in all competitions.

In contrast, Reading had lost their past three matches, including the 4-0 FA Cup defeat at Manchester United, and had not kept a clean sheet in 10 games.