This proves Albion mean it

Peter Taylor said it is still very early days, Simon Morgan spoke of chalking up enough points to be safe from relegation.

It was all sensible, level-headed stuff, but sorry lads you cannot kid anybody who was at Ashton Gate.

A victory more cosy than the score suggests marked Albion down as serious candidates for promotion, not just via the play-offs but for one of the two automatic places.

Even Taylor, with ten points out of 12 under his belt since taking charge, was moved to admit: "It was a very important game, a big game for both teams and I am absolutely delighted.

"We were positive from the start and I really feel we deserved it. We had to defend against some pressure at times, but not as much as I was expecting. It was a very good performance."

A glance at the table confirms Albion's credentials. They are now nine points ahead of Wycombe, the team immediately outside the play-off zone.

It gets even better. The second-placed Seagulls have opened a seven-point cushion over Bristol City in fourth. At this stage it looks like two from Albion, Brentford and Stoke.

Still not convinced? Don't just take my word for it, listen to what City boss Danny Wilson thought about his old club.

"Brighton played really well," he said. "I thought Stoke the week before were arguably the best team we have played.

"They were more powerful, stronger and very physical in putting pressure on our back four, but Brighton did that in different ways.

"Their movement was better and they passed it better. There is not a great deal to choose between the teams top to bottom, but on that form Brighton are going to be in there with a shout at the end of the season."

Whether Bobby Zamora will be around much longer to spearhead the march towards Division One is debatable.

It can only be a matter of time before a club bigger than Cardiff or Wigan make an enticing bid and, as much as Albion want to keep him, it would be difficult to stand in his way if it happens to be a Premiership club.

Zamora's 49th goal in 73 games, an extraordinary strike rate by any standards, was taken with typical aplomb.

He peeled away from his marker Matthew Hill at the far post to control Nathan Jones' cross on his chest, then checked inside before calmly slotting home from eight yards.

The goal apart, Zamora's general play was outstanding as well until he limped off nine minutes into the restart. The Bristol defenders appeared petrified by his partnership with the equally lively Lee Steele.

It was a shame Steele missed a chance to kill City off shortly before Zamora departed. Gary Hart put him through, but his shot was too close to keeper Mike Stowell.

Bristol huffed and puffed in the second half, without seriously threatening to restore parity. Danny Cullip and Morgan, reunited at the heart of the defence, were as commanding as ever.

Cullip's impressive comeback from a two-match absence with a knee injury was highlighted by a superb covering tackle on City's largely anonymous top scorer Tony Thorpe.

Their best effort was an audacious 25-yard chip before the break by Scott Murray, which was bound for the top corner when Michel Kuipers retreated to claw it away for a corner.

Lee Peacock, an early replacement for the hamstrung Steve Jones, headed straight at Kuipers late on, but an equaliser would have been harsh on Albion. As if to rub salt into Bristol's wounds, former Rover Zamora was replaced by the third player signed by the Seagulls from the blue half of the city, Robbie Pethick.

Taylor shunned the straight swap option of Dirk Lehmann for Zamora to keep in check the left flank raids of Mickey Bell and Brian Tinnion. The frustration became too much for the latter. Cautioned for upending the influential Jones midway through the second half, Tinnion was sent-off by Premiership ref David Elleray for the second bookable offence of a foul on Hart two minutes from the end.

Taylor enthused: "We didn't just defend. We actually created more chances than them and if you do that away from home in a big match the players deserve credit.

"They are a very honest bunch and it's great for a manager to have people like Charlie Oatway, Danny Cullip and Simon Morgan. They do my job for me at times."

Arguably the most impressive aspect of Albion's recent form is the manner in which they have responded to Micky Adams' departure. That is seven matches undefeated now since he left for Leicester and the same number unbeaten away from Withdean.

Morgan said: "With the set of lads here I don't think anything would affect them. It's been business as usual.

"The new gaffer has come in with a few new ideas, but he has basically kept things similar to what they were before. The players just get on with it and whatever is thrown in their way they don't let it knock them out of their stride."

Albion finally have a breather from midweek action ahead of the visit from Brian Horton's Port Vale.

"It's a nice break," Taylor added. "I think they are looking for a few days off, but they are not going to get it! We have got to keep going now."