Albion maintained their mini-revival with a dramatic second successive home win against ten-man Derby.

Kerry Mayo was the hero for Steve Coppell's patched-up Seagulls with an 89th minute winner.

Mayo struck the decisive blow after Malcom Christie had been sent off for the visitors on 51 minutes for a second bookable offence.

Coppell was forced to make changes with Graham Barrett and Dean Blackwell sidelined by injuries.

Blackwell's teenage replacement in the centre of defence, Adam Hinshelwood, was also forced off injured just before half time.

The Seagulls shrugged off their problems and the disappointment of having a first half effort by Mayo disallowed by a linesman's flag.

The long-serving defender, switched to the heart of the defence from leftback following Hinshelwood's departure, refused to be denied.

With time running out he cracked in the rebound from close range after his header from a corner had been blocked on the line.

Derby and Christie in particular had only themselves to blame for their ninth League defeat of the campaign.

Their topscoring striker, returning from a knee injury, was booked on 32 minutes for a thunderous collision with Albion keeper Michel Kuipers.

Christie was then dismissed by Northampton referee Richard Beeby for kicking the ball away when Albion were awarded a free-kick.

Mayo's last gasp intervention before a sell-out crowd of 6,845 spared the blushes of Steve Sidwell, making his full debut in place of Barrett.

The loan signing from Arsenal blazed over a great chance with six minutes left after a Gary Hart cross had hit the bar.

Albion have now taken seven points from three games following the home win against Bradford and Monday's draw at Wolves.

They are slowly but surely clawing back their deficit at the foot of the table under Coppell's astute leadership.