Brighton punish wasteful Newcastle in 1-0 away win

NEWCASTLE, England, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Danny Welbeck's first-half goal against the run of play gave Brighton & Hove Albion a 1-0 win at Newcastle United on Saturday, a result that extended the home side's winless streak to four Premier League games.

With striker Alexander Isak back after a period out with a toe injury, Newcastle dominated the opening exchanges but struggled to convert their plentiful possession into shots on target in the first half, and Welbeck was more than happy to make them pay.

Isak broke free in the 33rd minute with only the keeper to beat but Bart Verbruggen was able to block his goal-bound effort with his body. Less than two minutes later Welbeck showed him and the rest of the Newcastle attack how it should be done, muscling into the box to slip the ball past Nick Pope and give Brighton the lead.

Anthony Gordon came close to levelling for the home side with an angled drive in the 41st minute, but again Verbruggen was alert to the danger, pushing the ball away, and the body language of the Newcastle players began to suggest that it was not going to be their day.

After just two shots on target in the first half, the Magpies' accuracy improved in the second half but the shots they managed on target lacked power and precision, while Brighton looked dangerous every time they crossed the halfway line.

A lengthy stoppage for an injury to Welbeck, who was eventually carried off the field on a stretcher, saw nine minutes of time added on at the end of the second half, and though Dan Burn finally got the ball into the Brighton net, he was well offside and the goal was chalked off.

The Seagulls, who wasted a number of good chances to add to their tally, hung on for a win that moved them up to fifth in the table on 15 points, while Newcastle remain eighth on 12.

Brighton captain Lewis Dunk was delighted to get the win, but there was a tinge of regret over Welbeck's withdrawal from the game.

"I'm gutted to see him go off, he's been in top, top form this season. Hopefully it's not a bad injury and he'll be back soon. He was ruthless scoring his goal," he told the BBC.

"He's one of the top professionals at this football club and he's a great key to our success ... hopefully his injury is not too bad and we'll have him fighting to get fit." (Reporting by Philip O'Connor; editing by Clare Fallon and Pritha Sarkar)