Though Shaun Gale's side drew first blood, the full-time Football League visitors took charge to score three times before the interval and add a fourth shortly afterwards.

A cheeky piece of opportunism from Craig Watkins led to a late consolation goal from Charlie Henry, but Brighton ran out comfortable winners.

'We found it tough at times but that is exactly what we are looking for at this stage,' said Hawks manager Shaun Gale.

'Brighton were fit, well-organised, moved the ball quickly, and gave us a very good game.

'They made it difficult for us but in the end we managed to give a good account of ourselves.

'The only disappointing aspect for me was that two of the goals we conceded were poor goals to give away.

'One was a mistake from the goalkeeper and the other from a set-piece which was sloppy.

'I can't criticise my players for their work-rate and effort but three or four times we were poor defensively.'

The home side took an 18th-minute lead when a Jamie Slabber effort was blocked and fell to Jay Gasson, who sidefooted home from eight yards.

Brighton were back on level terms within five minutes when Nicky Forster got above Jay Smith to beat Nathan Ashmore in the Hawks goal with a firm downward header.

The Seagulls dominated the 15 minutes before the break and quickly added two more goals.

Forster grabbed his second of the game, turning in Tommy Elphick's header from close range at a corner, and then a mistake from Ashmore cost the keeper dear.

Gary Elphick, brother of Tommy in the opposition ranks, could only head the keeper's awful clearance straight back to the unmarked Brighton forwards and when the ball was fired across the face of goal, Glenn Murray easily knocked it in from three yards.

Murray netted his second goal of the game 11 minutes into the second period, outjumping the Hawks defence to plant his header into the bottom corner of the net.

The Hawks' consolation came when Watkins nicked the ball away from Seagulls keeper John Sullivan as he attempted to drop-kick his clearance leaving Henry to run the ball into an unguarded net.