Albion boss Chris Hughton admits his side missed an opportunity at the Amex last night.

But he felt they should have been awarded two penalties, not one, in the 1-1 draw against Ipswich.

The Seagulls would have returned to the top of the Championship with a seventh straight league win at the Amex.

Hughton said: “It feels like two points dropped certainly, because we were playing at home and on the balance of play it was a game we should have won.

“You are always careful as well to take everything into perspective. We’ve had a very good record at home. It was a game that didn’t happen for us like maybe other days.

“Probably on other days we’d have got the winner in that last ten to 15 minutes. We had good chances but we mustn’t go away from the fact we are in a very good position in the league and deserve to be there.”

Tomer Hemed cancelled out Luke Chambers’ early goal for Ipswich from the spot after Emyr Huws tugged Bruno.

Referee Roger East denied the Seagulls a second penalty after the break when Solly March went down under Jordan Spence’s challenge.

Hughton said: “At the time I wasn’t sure. I saw the lad slide in and I didn’t think he’d swept his (March’s) feet away but he caught him with his hand as he slid in. Solly generally doesn’t go down for no reason.

“We had a similar situation in Saturday’s game (against Burton) where Solly made sure to stay on his feet. Some referees would have given it, but some wouldn’t have.”

Albion remain a point behind Newcastle, who drew 2-2 at Norwich, and four ahead of Huddersfield, last-gasp 3-2 winners at bottom club Rotherham.