91�ȱ�

Brighton and Cardiff battled to a stalemate where the lack of a goal was due mostly to excellent goalkeeping.

91�ȱ� stopper Tomasz Kuszczak and David Marshall produced a series of top-class saves as Brighton claimed their first point in the Championship this season.

The pick of Kuszczak's efforts was a double save in the 77th minute to deny Joe Mason and Etien Velikonja.

Marshall's high spots were keeping out goal-bound efforts from Brighton pair Craig Mackail-Smith and Bruno Saltor.

The goalmouth action started early as Bluebirds defender Ben Turner saw his goal-bound header from Peter Whittingham's seventh-minute corner blocked by Brighton striker Mackail-Smith.

Craig Bellamy then crashed a 30-yard shot straight into the hands of Kuszczak.

Brighton took a little longer to get going, but Marshall was forced to hold Ashley Barnes' angled drive in the 12th minute before the visitors threatened again.

Cardiff defender Andrew Taylor swung over a decent cross, but Bellamy's strike partner Heidar Helguson steered the ball over the bar from six yards.

Mackail-Smith went close to giving the Seagulls the lead, only to see Marshall parry the ball to safety at full stretch.

The Scotland international then kept out Craig Noone's angled effort from inside the penalty area before the action shifted to the other end.

Whittingham's excellent free-kick from 25 yards - after he was fouled by Brighton defender Gary Dicker - brought the best out of Kuszczak.

The excitement for a record 25,518 crowd at the Amex Stadium continued after half-time, with Whittingham's curling effort flying just wide before Brighton's Spanish defender Saltor was superbly denied by Marshall.

Cardiff midfielder Don Cowie let fly from 30 yards, but was thwarted by Kuszczak as both sides went in search of the winner.

Kuszczak came to Brighton's rescue one last time with a fine double save to deny Mason and substitute striker Velikonja, who had replaced Helguson moments earlier, in quick succession.

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