PREM: Brighton 1-0 West Ham

Murray watches on as his side-footed effort flies into the bottom corner

Glenn Murray scored the only goal of the game as Brighton leapfrogged West Ham with a 1-0 win at the Amex on Friday.

Murray made the breakthrough in the 25th-minute lead with his fifth Premier League goal of the season, and 99th in total for Brighton.

Chris Hughton's side then held on to record a much-needed victory that sees them move up to 12th in the table, while West Ham fall to 15th after a fifth defeat in eight league matches this season.

Manuel Pellegrini's team arrived on the south coast full of confidence after beating Manchester United 3-1 last time out, and that showed in the early exchanges as the in-form Marko Arnautovic went close after a cleverly worked free-kick.

However, it was Brighton who opened the scoring when Andriy Yarmolenko carelessly lost possession on halfway, allowing Beram Kayal to scamper free down the left wing. From the Israeli's cross, the unmarked Murray side-footed home his sixth goal in his last four games against West Ham.

The home team comfortably held that advantage until half-time, but it was a different West Ham who came out after the interval as they looked to build on their recent good form against opponents intent on defending their slender lead.

Just before the hour-mark, Paraguay centre-back Fabian Balbuena somehow glanced Felipe Anderson's left-wing corner inches wide of the far post, although despite all the visitors' possession, it was actually Brighton who then came closest to grabbing the next goal.

For once, though, that man Murray's radar malfunctioned as the 35-year-old twice headed over when well placed.

However, despite Arnautovic firing over from five yards out late on, the hosts held on after recording a first clean sheet of the season.