Brighton & Hove Albion moved two points clear of Newcastle at the top of the Championship with a routine home win against strugglers Birmingham City. Glenn Murray's 20th goal of the season put Albion ahead on two minutes, turning in Bruno's cross on the run. Birmingham frustrated the hosts for the rest of the half, but Tomer Hemed chested in a second early on after the break to ease the pressure. Uwe Hunemeier's fierce shot made it three, before Che Adam's consolation. With nearest rivals Newcastle and fellow challengers Huddersfield not in action until Wednesday, the onus was on Brighton to get a confidence-building head-start. Birmingham, without a win in five but having drawn the past three, saw any plans to hold Brighton blown away as the hosts' slick move teed up Murray for his landmark goal.

However, the Seagulls then seemed to fall back to the irritation of the expectant support while Craig Gardner's set-pieces appeared Birmingham's best hope, particularly when one curling effort brushed the woodwork. Lewis Dunk's withdrawal through sickness in the first-half added to the concerns, but his team-mates shook off any of their own issues in his absence with two vital strikes shortly after the break. Hemed's finish, his first in six matches, had The Amex rocking again and when Hunemeier smashed in, it was game over. A smart move down the right gave Adams a rare opening to beat David Stockdale from inside the box with five minutes to go for a Birmingham consolation. Brighton have a 10-point cushion to Reading in third with six matches remaining as they look for a return to the top flight for the first time since 1983.