Vicente’s second goal in as many games was not enough as Albion were made to settle for a 1-1 draw with Blackburn at The Amex tonight.

Gus Poyet’s side created a host of chances but needed Vicente’s second-half penalty to earn them a point after Scott Dann headed the visitors into an interval lead against the run of play.

The result keeps Albion seventh in the Championship but now four points behind Middlesbrough in the final play-off position.

The Seagulls made a terrific start with Dean Hammond’s fierce strike deflected wide for a second-minute corner from which Leonardo Ulloa volleyed wide.

On eight minutes Vicente fizzed a shot wide from 22 yards and moments later Will Buckley chased a long ball, prodded it goalwards but Jake Kean scrambled back to push it away.

Buckley also diverted a Hammond shot on to the bar before Blackburn took the lead against the run of play in the 23rd minute, Dann losing his marker to head in a Danny Murphy corner.

Despite losing Will Hoskins to an unfortunate injury, Albion continued to press and Hammond was twice denied by super saves from Kean in first-half stoppage time. The first was an unbelievable stop from point-blank range and the second kept out a stooping header.

Albion drew level 12 minutes into the second half when Markus Olsson was penalised for handling inside the penalty area, an offence spotted by a linesman, and Vicente drove the spot-kick down the middle for his second goal in as many games.

Rovers were not happy about the decision, particularly as they felt they should have had a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Adam El-Abd’s hand minutes earlier.

With man-of-the-match Vicente at the heart of things, Albion pressed for a winner but could not break down a stubborn Rovers side.

Substitute Kazenga LuaLua went closest to a winner with a 20-yard striker inches wide in the dying moments.