Greg Abbott handed a debut to on-loan Sunderland left back Michael Liddle, with central defender Richard Keogh coming back in to the heart of the back line as the caretaker manager went in search of a clean sheet.

Simon Hackney and Cleveland Taylor were placed on the flanks of a five man midfield that, once kick off came round, appeared to be playing in a very flexible 4-3-3 formation. Captain Paul Thirlwell, returning from injury, slotted back in to the centre of the park.

United should have taken the lead with just 31 seconds on the clock when Simon Hackney made a break down the left wing. His cross was mis-hit by Taylor, but that did enough to wrong foot the Brighton defence. Danny Graham was unmarked but he lost his footing, just 12-yards out, and he couldn't get the power that was needed to take the ball beyond the defenders on the line.

Hackney then fizzed a powerful volley over the bar from just inside the area, when Taylor sent a cross in from the right, as the Cumbrians controlled the pace of the early play.

Matt Richards reminded the home side that there was work to do in the 10th minute when he swung the ball in from the Carlisle right. Glenn Murray stretched for it, but Livesey stayed tight and the ball popped out of the challenge and bobbled harmlessly away.

Bridge-Wilkinson sent a long range shot wide in the next attack, and Livesey had to be on his toes when he slid in on Anyinsah as Brighton started to get involved more.

A half-hearted penalty appeal was waved away when Bridge-Wilkinson was bundled over in the box under pressure from El-Abd, but the Seagulls should have scored on 21 minutes when Fleetwood was given time on the ball deep inside the Carlisle half. He played a one-two with Murray, but Alnwick was off his line quickly to smother the shot and avert the danger.

Fleetwood had an even better opportunity in the 25th minute when Glenn Murray chased a lost cause and back heeled it in to space. Anyinsah picked it up, and his cross was perfect for the tall striker. With an open goal to aim at he got underneath the header and sent it in to the Unison stand.

United took the lead in the 31st minute when Raven cut in from the right and surprised the keeper with a stinging drive. Kuipers parried it, but Kavanagh was quickest to react, pulling it back across the 6-yard area. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson said thank you very much as he side footed the ball in to the gaping net from very close range.

A good spell of pressure on 41 minutes started when Livesey floated a long ball behind the back four. Taylor got there, but his cut back was cleared just as Bridge-Wilkinson steamed in to apply the finishing touch. Taylor latched on to the loose ball, but his first time cross was clipped over the bar, on the volley, by an off balance Danny Graham.

The Cumbrians should have put themselves two up in the 44th minute when Thirlwell won the ball with a crunching tackle in midfield. Taylor carried it forward, and played a neat pass on to to Simon Hackney. He cut back on to his left foot but, somehow, he curled his shot wide from just 13-yards out.

The lead was doubled just before the break however when Danny Graham outfoxed his marker to create a yard of space on the Seagulls left wing. His near post cross was met by Cleveland Taylor who needed only the slightest of touches to take the ball beyond Kuipers and in to the goal.

Half Time: United 2 - 0 Brighton

United started the second half brightly, with Kavanagh and Taylor sending balls in to the box from out wide for Graham to fight for. Brighton defended in numbers, and a Kavanagh shot from just outside the box brought the period of pressure to a close.

Graham was millimetres away from getting a touch to a Bridge-Wilkinson cross-shot on 50 minutes, but El-Abd did enough to put him off as it zinged away for a goal kick.

An Andy Whing deflection from another Bridge-Wilkinson shot sent the ball wide on 52 minutes, but the home side got the goal their second half display deserved with the move of the game on 55 minutes. Liddle cushioned the ball forward, bringing the extremely influential Bridge-Wilkinson in to play on the left hand side. He played an inch perfect one-two with Graham, and the keeper could do nothing about the shot from Marc Bridge-Wilkinson as it slammed in to the roof of the net.

United won a succession of corners on the hour mark, with Graham and Bridge-Wilkinson going close, but the Seagulls brought them down to earth with a bump on 65 minutes when they capitalised on a free kick on the left hand touchline. Matt Richards was unmarked, and he left Alnwick with no chance with a drilled first time shot that literally flew in to the net.

Kavanagh sent one over the bar as the home side reasserted their authority, and Raven brought an excellent save out of Kuipers when he found himself with a shooting chance when the ball rebounded off El-Abd inside his own box. It had plenty of power, but the big keeper got his hands to it and beat it away.

Bradley Johnson poked one wide at the other end as Brighton enjoyed a rare foray forward on 77 minutes, and the same player put one over the bar as he tried to do too much with the ball at his feet.

Ben Alnwick had to be agile on 90 minutes when Fraser sent a free kick towards the cross bar. The United stopper got his hand to it, and tipped it away for a corner.

Simon Hackney wasted a real opportunity to wrap things up deep in to time added on when Madine sent him one on one with Kuipers, but he could only find the side netting as he curled it round the stranded stopper.

Goals

United - Bridge-Wilkinson (31, 55), Taylor (45)

Brighton - Richards (65)

Bookings

United - Keogh (30)

Brighton - Taylor (83)

Teams 

United - Alnwick, Raven, Livesey, Keogh, Liddle, Taylor, Bridge-Wilkinson (Welsh 86), Thirlwell, Kavanagh, Hackney, Graham (Madine 85). Subs - Williams, Horwood, Bridges.

Brighton - Kuipers, Whing, El-Abd, Cox (McLeod 46), Richards, Livermore, Anyinsah (Fraser, 62), Elphick, Johnson, Fleetwood (Forster 46), Murray. Subs - Thomson, Hawkins.

Away fans - 300