Poyet’s Seagulls flying high

Brighton manager Gus Poyet intends to enjoy his side going top of the Championship but knows it is too early in the season to get carried away.

Goals from Ashley Barnes and Adam El-Abd helped Brighton to a fifth straight league win, a 2-1 success at Millwall on Saturday. Barnes opened the scoring after 17 minutes at the New Den and El-Abd increased the lead on 50 minutes.

The home side had substitute Chris Taylor dismissed after 67 minutes and Chris Wood’s 79th-minute strike was little consolation for the Lions, who have lost their last three games.

Brighton’s stay at the top could last little over 48 hours, as Blackpool have the opportunity to leapfrog them when they host Huddersfield this evening.

Poyet said: “It’s very nice to be top. But when you start in this league you know how difficult every game is, you need to be on the bench watching that last 20 minutes, with my team defending like mad, to know how much you have to suffer to get three points.”

Birmingham manager Lee Clark apologised after his side suffered a 5-0 home mauling by Barnsley, Craig Davies scoring four times and Stephen Forster getting the other. Clark said: “When it was 4-0, my wife was in tears. She knows what this job means to me.”

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake kept his nerve from the spot as Wolves won 2-0 at pointless Peterborough, Bjorn Sigurdsson scoring Wolves’ second. And the pressure is mounting on Paul Jewell after second-half goals from Johnnie Jackson and Ricardo Fuller gave Charlton a 2-1 win at Ipswich. Jason Scotland replied for the home side. Responding to claims Harry Redknapp is on his way to Ipswich, Jewell said: “If Harry Redknapp is going to become manager of Ipswich then that’ll happen. What can I do about it?”

Charlie Austin’s double helped Burnley claim a 2-1 win over Derby at Pride Park. Bolton beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough and Luciano Becchio’s seventh goal of the season set Leeds on their way to a 2-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest. Watford twice led but had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Bristol City at Vicarage Road. Crystal Palace came from 2-0 down to beat Cardiff 3-2.