ANDY KING was delighted with the way his players responded to his pre-match rallying call.

The Town boss felt individuals who had been under-performing in recent weeks had come good and the result was three points.

He said: "I told them before the game what their capabilities were and what I wanted.

"At the end of the day seven players hadn't been playing to the performance levels that had seen us to early season success.

"That was the target. Could they get back to that performance level? I think against Brighton they did.

"I think we totally outplayed them. The good thing from my point of view was that it was difficult to pick a man of the match. There were six, seven or eight players who could have taken that accolade.

"It's all about setting standards and then maintaining them."

King admitted Sam Parkin's opening goal had come at a good time, just seconds before half-time, but felt it was no more than Town had deserved.

He said: "I was sitting in the stand wondering whether we would get the goal we deserved.

"We had played some good football in periods, it was just a question of whether we could get the goal to take us to the next level.

"Sam Parkin took the ball down with one foot, tucked the chance away with the other and was in the right place to do so.

"I thought Brighton would change things and bring on Leon Knight, which they did.

"He's a goalscorer. That's a worry and after having one effort disallowed, the boy has scored the equaliser.

"At that stage I'm left to wonder whether we'll go into our shell or respond positively and go to the next level.

"We have responded and could have ended the game winning 5-1."

King admitted Parkin should have tucked away the late opportunities that had come his way but he wasn't about to criticise him.

He said: "What really pleased me was that Sam Parkin and Tommy Mooney worked as a partnership again.

"In recent weeks they've worked as individuals but against Brighton, they were aware of each other and combined well."

King praised referee Steve Tanner for his communication with the players and revealed the official was prepared to study the match video following his booking of Andy Gurney.

The yellow card took the Town captain's cautions for the campaign to 10 - triggering another ban.

King said: "I felt it was a case of ball before player. Hopefully it will be overturned."