By Tim Dudding, at Brisbane Road

Albion were held to a 1-1 draw by Leyton Orient after a breathless encounter at Brisbane Road.

Scott McGleish cancelled out Glenn Murray's first-half opener early in the second half, but Albion should have been awarded a penalty when Liam Dickinson was mauled in the area by Ben Chorley shortly before half-time.

Gus Poyet reacted angrily to referee Steve Cook's decision, and the Albion boss sent to the stand, where he could only watch as the two teams battled out a frenetic contest.

With Nicky Forster left out of the squad, strike duo Glenn Murray and Liam Dickinson looked determined to create a new partnership in the Seagulls frontline, and it took less than ten minutes for Brighton to take the lead.

Murray chased down a lost cause, and when Jamie Jones made a hash of his clearance, the Albion striker kept his composure to give the Seagulls the most fortunate of leads.

Orient might have responded straight away when space opened up in the area for Stephen Purches, but the full-back scuffed his shot horribly and Michel Kuipers gathered with ease.

In his bright yellow boots Dickinson proved a handful for the Orient defence, and Albion almost doubled their lead when, from another corner won through the striker's endeavour, McGleish's header came back off his own crossbar.

Tommy Elphick then glanced a header wide, and in Barry Hearn's back yard Albion had Orient on the ropes. When Murray turned home Dickinson's low cross after Inigo Calderon's surging run from deep, Albion thought they had stretched their lead, but the striker was ruled offside.

Moments later came the decision which led to Poyet's frustration, as defender Chorley manhandled Dickinson - but Cook waved play on, when instead he should have pointed to the spot and brandished a red card.

Albion kept pouring forward in search of the second goal however, and Dickinson picked out Murray once again with a another brilliant low cross, but always stretching, Murray could only guide the ball over the bar.

Cook may have been hoping for a quieter second half, but instead the game continued at a frenetic pace - and when Kuipers slipped as he tried to make a clearance and was forced to handle a back-pass, the referee awarded Orient an indirect free-kick.

Sean Thornton's resulting effort was charged down, but reacting quickest, McGleish steered the ball into the bottom corner and Orient were level - although Albion had justified cause for complaint that Jason Demetriou was in an offside position as he blocked off Albion keeper Kuipers with his elbow.

Both sides battled furiously to try and take control of the game, and with ten minutes remaining Albion created their best chance to snatch the victory when Gary Dicker set Bennett clear into the area, but the midfielder's curling effort was well saved by Jones.

Orient: (4-4-2) Jones; Purches, Mkandawire, Chorley, Daniels; Adams, Chambers, Thornton, Demetriou; McGleish (Scowcroft 76), Jarvis (Tehoue 67). Subs not used: Morris (GK), Cave-Brown, Pires, Briggs, Smith.

Albion: (4-4-2) Kuipers; Calderon, Virgo, Elphick, Painter; Bennett, Crofts, Navarro, Dicker; Murray (Hart 75), Dickinson. Subs not used: Brezovan (GK), Cox, Tunnicliffe, Carole, Hoyte, Holroyd.

Attendance: 6027 (1834 Albion).

Referee: Steve Cook.

Yellow Cards: Chorley, McGleish, Demetriou, Thornton (Orient); Murray, Dicker, Kuipers, Calderon (Albion).