Simon Rodger made a dream debut as Albion chiselled out the win they craved to break a sequence of 12 straight League defeats.

The Shoreham-born midfielder scored a spectacular goal in between two penalties by Bobby Zamora.

The Seagulls ended an eventful match with ten men. Keeper Michel Kuipers received a red card in the 90th minute for conceding a penalty from which Andy Gray scored his second goal for Bradford.

The 10-men held on to give boss Steve Coppell his first victory in his third game in charge and the Seagulls their first points since the 0-0 home draw against Coventry on August 13.

Coppell brought in the experienced Rodger in place of Charlie Oatway following last Saturday's humiliating 5-0 defeat at arch rivals Crystal Palace.

The move paid off handsomely to the delight of a soaked crowd of 6,319 at Withdean.

Zamora gave Albion a ninth minute lead from the spot after Paul Brooker was sent tumbling by Bradford's Dutch defender Gus Ohlenbeek.

Rodger, rejected by Albion as a schoolboy for being too small, was walking tall when Zamora set him up for a superb left-foot shot from 20 yards on 42 minutes.

Andy Gray punished sloppy marking with a header from a free-kick for Bradford on 49 minutes.

It left Seagulls supporters fearing another dramatic comeback by Yorkshire opponents after Sheffield United recovered from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Withdean in Coppell's first match.

Albion, however, were not to be denied this time.

Zamora slotted his second penalty on 54 minutes after Graham Barrett had been upended by Wayne Jacobs.

Former Palace stalwart Rodger hobbled off with an ankle injury on 76 minutes and Albion still had to endure an anxious finish.

Kuipers brought down Stephen Warnock on the stroke of full time.

Referee Brian Curson sent him off, so Albion immediately introduced spare keeper Andy Petterson for Paul Brooker.

Petterson had no chance with Gray's resulting spot kick, but it came too late to deprive Coppell's battlers.

Kuipers will now be suspended for the Seagulls' next home match against Derby on November 16.

Coppell will be hoping Rodger recovers in time for the trip to Wolves five days earlier.