Championship: Brighton ease to 2-0 win against Leeds United

Goals in each half from Sam Baldock and Inigo Calderon gave Brighton successive home league wins for the first time in a year with a 2-0 victory over Leeds United.

United's hopes of forcing a sixth win in the last seven games were dashed as the Seagulls built on their 4-3 win over Birmingham in convincing fashion to ease their relegation fears before a crowd of 25,274.

Leeds, boasting 15 points from a possible 18 since the start of January coming into the game, started well and big defender Sol Bamba should have hit the target in only the first minute when he mis-kicked in front of goal following Luke Murphy's corner.

United defender Charlie Taylor thwarted Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith before midfielder Rodolph Austin fired narrowly wide of keeper David Stockdale's left-hand post from the edge of the area.

Portuguese midfielder Joao Teixeira, who scored twice in last Saturday's 4-3 home win over Birmingham, should have put the Seagulls ahead in the 14th minute when he put a free header wide following a cross by Mackail-Smith.

Brighton broke the deadlock on 26 minutes when striker Sam Baldock scored only his fourth goal of the season.

Baldock, top scorer in League One last season with 24 goals for Bristol City, shot home from the edge of the six-yard box after Teixeira had released Inigo Calderon down the right.

Mackail-Smith should have doubled the advantage shortly after but shot straight at keeper Marco Silvestri after being set up by Teixeira.

Defender Scott Wootton came to Leeds' rescue with a vital challenge on Baldock at the far post when a cross by Bruno Saltor was not dealt with properly by Bamba.

Brighton had a slice of luck just before the break when Bamba, well placed in front of goal, sliced his attempt on goal following a corner by Murphy.

United suffered an injury blow shortly after the interval, with striker Steve Morison being forced off with a leg muscle injury to be replaced by Edgar Cani.

Quick play by Brighton had Leeds back-pedalling and, from a neat pass by Teixeira, Calderon put an angled shot across goal.

Leeds had a let-off when, from a strong run by Beram Kayal, Calderon's cross just eluded Baldock at the far post.

United keeper Silvestri later had to dive smartly to smother a goal-bound shot from Mackail-Smith and produced two saves in the space of two minutes to deny Teixeira, before Spanish defender Calderon made it 2-0 after 63 minutes.

Teixeira released Kayal and, when his goal-bound effort was parried by Silvestri, the ball rebounded to Calderon who scored from point-blank range.

Brighton keeper Stockdale pulled off a fine save to deny substitute Souleymane Doukara as Leeds unsuccessfully tried to get back into the game.

Substitute Dale Stephens almost added a third goal for Brighton two minutes from time but his close-range effort was turned onto the bar by Silvestri.

Teixeira was also denied by the woodwork in stoppage time, his rasping low shot coming back off the base of Silvestri's right-hand post.