WANDERERS threw away another lead to finish empty handed at the Amex Stadium.

Dougie Freedman’s side remain third bottom of the Championship after Craig Mackail-Smith and Joao Teixeria cancelled out Matt Mills’ opener.

The Whites had not won at Brighton since 1977 but looked well on their way after Mills headed home in the 25th minute, to reinforce a decent start.

That seemed to spur Brighton on, however, and after Adam Bogdan had denied Mackail-Smith with a world class save, the Hungarian keeper was injured as the same player turned home Inigo Calderon’s cross eight minutes before the break.

Bogdan left the field with a gash above his eye, and replacement Andy Lonergan was forced into immediate action to push away a shot from Lewis Dunk.

The home side smelled blood and Dunk nearly profited from the corner, forcing Spearing into a goalline clearance after Lonergan had lost the flight of the ball completely.

Wanderers appeared to have survived the storm after the break and had a good chance to take the lead when Craig Davies turned well on the edge of the box to strike for goal.

But Brighton steadily upped the gears until Teixeria cut in from the left and beat Matt Mills too easily to drill a low shot past Lonergan at his near post.

Freedman tried to change his side’s shape by introducing Liam Trotter and Liam Feeney but the effect was minimal.

Brighton kept the ball well in the latter stages, while the Whites wasted the few half-chances for decent deliveries from set pieces.