Rovers crashed out of the Carling Cup at the first hurdle this evening, as ten-man Brighton & Hove Albion stole a 1-0 victory at the Memorial Stadium.

Both sides started the contest brightly, and there were opportunities at either end of the pitch early on.

For the Seagulls, Nathan Jones sent in a fine cross which Chris McPhee wastefully headed over, and then for Rovers, an Ijah Anderson indirect free-kick inside the Brighton penalty area cannoned off a four-man defensive wall before being cleared.

Wayne Carlisle fired high over the crossbar, before Paul Tait sent a fine ball over the top of the visiting defence into the path of Junior Agogo, who produced a good stop from Ben Roberts in the Brighton goal. Kevin Street was also on hand as the Pirates kept up the pressure, but his rebound was also blocked by the away goalkeeper.

Striker Leon Knight turned Christian Edwards on the edge of the Rovers box, before producing a superb one-handed save from Kevin Miller as the former Exeter City shot-stopper dived away to his right.

Good play between Carlisle, Street and Edwards saw Agogo shoot straight at the goalkeeper from the edge of the box, and Knight forced another stop from Miller as the on-loan Chelsea front man continued to threaten.

The half ended with a shot from Anderson that was saved, and a rather unsavoury incident involving Dave Savage and Jones, which resulted in the latter being sent from the field of play by the referee, for a late and reckless challenge on the ex-Oxford United midfielder.

Brighton came out for the start of the second half and within just a few minutes edged themselves into a slender lead.

It came after a Kerry Mayo throw down the left flank was flicked on by Danny Cullip, where a waiting McPhee was on hand to spectacularly volley home into the top corner with an acrobatic overhead kick from the corner of the six-yard box.

Rovers responded with a Paul Tait header into the path of Agogo which produced a good stop from Roberts, and dangerous curling cross from Carlisle, which was somehow hacked clear from the danger area.

McPhee saw a low shot go inches wide as Brighton came forward in search of a second, and it needed a fine stop from Miller moments later after Knight robbed Edwards and played in Richard Carpenter, who saw his effort blocked by the Rovers goalkeeper.

Brighton were happy to play out time as the game drew to a close, and other than a few dangerous crosses into the box, Rovers never really looked like forcing home an equaliser. The result means another premature exit from the competition for Rovers, and the opportunity to concentrate more heavily on the upcoming league fixtures over the next few weeks.

TEAM: Kevin Miller, Danny Boxall (Simon Bryant), Adam Barrett, Christian Edwards, Ijah Anderson, Wayne Carlisle, Dave Savage, Rob Quinn, Kevin Street, Paul Tait, Junior Agogo (Lee Hodges (Sonny Parker))