Derby boss Nigel Clough reckons experience was the key to Albion’s latest win at The Amex.

But he felt both the Seagulls’ goals in their 2-1 success could have been disallowed.

Clough pointed the finger at two young defenders after Ashley Barnes and Andrea Orlandi scored to put Albion in charge.

He said: “The young centre-half Mark O’Brien was caught out of position. No excuse even at his tender age.

“We thought he (Barnes) might have even been offside in the six-yard box when he tapped it in.

“We certainly did get any decisions in the first 30 minutes of the game.

“We think there was a foul leading up to the second goal with Richard Keogh being kicked in the head on the far side.

“The referee said he might have missed that one!

“Then Kieron Freeman gets done (by Orlandi) for the header.

“It’s two 20-year-olds. That inexperience showed up at times. We didn’t have the nous and the experience that Brighton had in their side and I thought that was the difference.”

Clough admitted Derby’s final ball was not good enough as they struggled to trouble home keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, despite having a lot of possession.

With reference to the absent Craig Mackail-Smith, The Rams chief added: “At times we have controlled games but we don’t have a £2.5 million striker sitting in the treatment room like Brighton do who gets you that fdd goal now and then.

“That bit of quality makes a difference and we don’t quite have those resources at the moment.

“Our youthfulness at times will be our undoing as it was today.

“Three 20-year-olds, a 19-year-old and one just 21 coming on. I didn’t see any teenagers in Brighton’s side today, did you?

“I saw some experienced professionals who their jobs and know the game.”