Jordan Rhodes tucked home a penalty in the last minute of the half to give Blackburn Rovers a one-goal lead at the break against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The first chance came in the on the quarter-hour mark as Blackburn's Jason Lowe forced Tomasz Kuszczak into a diving save.
Brighton almost stole the lead ten minutes later but Liam Bridcutt's shot flew past Jake Kean.
Kuszczak continued to be the busier of the two keepers and Blackburn made their dominance pay after Adam El-Abd was adjudged to have tugged Morten-Gamst Pedersen's shirt in the area, with Rhodes making no mistake from 12 yards.