Merci Monsieur Sabin

The Frenchman's long wait for his first goal finally ended in the 58th minute and it should have provided the platform for Town to go on and take three points.

Roy Evans' side was almost unrecognisable from the collective shambles that capitulated so embarrassingly against QPR on Wednesday night.

Only a lack of composure in front of goal denied Town a victory they would have just about deserved.

Goal-hero Sabin was guilty of missing a great first-half chance but a split second of indecision allowed Brighton goalkeeper Michels Kuipers to smother his effort.

But Peter Taylor's side looked nothing out of the ordinary and if only Town could perform like this every week then they would certainly not be languishing in the wrong half of the table.

The display against the Seagulls was all the more frustrating because it was exactly the same side that played like a pub team at Loftus Road.

All the pre-match talk was of Brighton goal machine Bobby Zamora but for the most part he was kept relatively quiet.

Unfortunately for Town, the best strikers need only a limited number of chances and Zamora tucked away his one clear opportunity.

If Town had such a clinical forward then who knows where the team would be sitting?

But fresh blood is not an option for Roy Evans who has no room for manoeuvre.

In front of the County Ground's largest crowd of the season, Town seemed inspired by the atmosphere.

Man of the match Wayne Carlisle almost gave Town the perfect start when his thumping 35-yard free kick whistled just wide of Kuipers' right post.

Not for the first time this season Bart Griemink then came to Town's rescue with a great block.

The Dutch keeper spread himself superbly to block Zamora's ninth minute effort from close range.

The ball was only half cleared but Nathan Jones only succeeded in firing the follow-up into the Evening Advertiser Town End.

Sabin looked far more lively than he had in recent games and he should have done better after working his way into the penalty area but failed to pick out at Town shirt.

David Duke then got his head to Mark Robinson's right wing cross but failed to find the power or accuracy to beat Kuipers.

Sadly for Town, their impressive start was left in tatters when the visitors took a 15th minute lead, to the delight of around three thousand travelling Brighton fans.

A long hoof from Kuipers caught the Town defence by surprise and Zamora reacted sharply to race through and lob the ball over Griemink.

The goal was a huge test of character for the Town players and it was a challenge they conquered impressively.

Town should have levelled matters in the 18th minute when Invincible headed weakly at Kuipers from Wayne Carlisle's cross. The Australian's rather tame effort suggested that he may have been expecting the assistant referee's flag to go up.

The visitors obliging conceded free kicks at regular intervals throughout the game, many in dangerous positions.

But sadly for Town, Razor Ruddock had left his shooting boots at home.

The player-coach hammered a free kick from 35 yards after Invincible had been chopped down by Simon Morgan in the 23rd minute.

Unfortunately, his shot was easily gathered by Kuipers.

Andy Gurney was in the right place to block Gary Hart after he had ridden two Town challenges as the visitors looked to double their lead.

But Town should have drawn level on the half hour.

Gurney played a great ball through a static Brighton defence and Sabin galloped into the box looking odds-on to end his goal drought.

But rather than acting instinctively, the 26-year-old hesitated and his eventual shot was superbly blocked by Kuipers.

But Town kept pressing and another glorious opportunity went begging in the 37th minute.

Duke raced clear down the left before cutting in and had the simplest of chances to slip the ball into the path of the on-rushing Invincible or Sabin.

Sadly, Duke's path bisected both attackers, although they seemed guilty of leaving it to each other.

Still the visitors felt obliged to give away free kicks and Ruddock crashed another effort into the midriff of Danny Cullip just five minutes before the interval.

Carlisle then overhit a free kick from the right of edge of the box to leave Town trailing at the break.

Unlike previous home games, Town started the second half brightly.

Yet another Carlisle free kick from distance was blocked but Town almost levelled matters thanks to a rasping drive from Ruddock. The central defender's 48th minute shot flew just wide of the left post as the home side started to push their visitors back.

Ruddock struck another 25-yard free kick straight into the Brighton wall and then Invincible was robbed on the edge of the box just as he threatened to wriggle clear of his markers.

Despite the diminishing threat from the visitors, Town breathed a sigh of relief as Zamora wasted a rare chance, lifting a 55th minute shot over Griemink's crossbar.

But 58 minutes into his 11th game for Swindon Town, Eric Sabin finally heard his name bellowed out by Gary the PA announcer.

Carlisle whipped over a cross from the left and Sabin was in the right place to stretch out a boot and slide home from six yards.

It was no more than Town deserved and it lifted spirits among the home fans, while silencing the Seagulls' following.

Invincible and Sabin both had shots blocked on the edge of the box in the 66th minute and the Frenchman was desperately unlucky not to put Town ahead three minutes later.

Mark Robinson pumped over an excellent cross from the right but Paul Watson stretched to head the ball clear with Sabin racing in for the kill.

Steve Robinson then tried his luck after pouncing on a poor clearance from Kuipers but his shot was deflected.

Zamora twisted on the edge of the area before cracking a 75th minute shot wide of Griemink's right post and the last 10 minutes saw the visitors redouble their efforts.

Jones' 82nd minute shot from the edge of the box clipped off the leg of Gurney and flew just wide of the post.

With Town nerves starting to jangle, Brighton came agonisingly close to snatching an undeserved victory.

Oatway's corner landed at the feet of Cullip but the striker inexplicably spooned his close range effort over the crossbar.

The game threatened to boil over in the dying stages and tempers frayed following a couple of niggly fouls.

It was a case of real handbags stuff and referee Eddie Wolstenholme dished out bookings on both sides before blowing for full-time.

But a point against the league leaders should not be sniffed at.

The players showed they do have fight in their bellies and another three points tomorrow night will help restore belief which was starting to ebb away.