Antoine Semenyo makes the difference as Bournemouth see off Brighton

Antoine Semenyo scored one goal and set up the other as Bournemouth beat Brighton 2-1 in the Premier League.

Alex Scott also netted his first league goal since December 2023, with Kaoru Mitoma equalising for the visitors.

The Cherries handed a surprise top-flight debut to their 18-year-old transfer deadline day signing Veljko Milosavljevic, with centre-back Bafode Diakite injured.

At the other end of the age spectrum, 39-year-old James Milner replaced Carlos Baleba in Brighton’s starting line-up.

The visitors were forced into an early change when Jack Hinshelwood hobbled off after a challenge with Evanilson left him in a heap on the halfway line.

Bournemouth had the better of a scrappy start to the game and took a deserved lead in the 18th minute.

Semenyo plucked the ball down excellently before teeing up Scott to fire a left-foot shot into the far corner from just outside the 18-yard box.

Brighton then lost a second player to injury as Maxim de Cuyper was replaced by Ferdi Kadioglu after being shoved into the advertising hoardings by Semenyo.

Bournemouth continued to dictate the pace of the game and David Brooks had a shot blocked before Evanilson headed over the crossbar from Adrien Truffert’s cross.

Semenyo then sliced an effort wide under pressure from Kadioglu after a powerful run into the Brighton penalty area.

It took until five minutes before half-time for Brighton to muster their first meaningful attempt, when Yankuba Minteh came racing down their right and forced a smart save from Djordje Petrovic at his near post.

Evanilson had another half-chance in first half stoppage time but could only head tamely into the arms of Bart Verbruggen from another Truffert centre.

Bournemouth were made to pay for their missed chances when Mitoma equalised three minutes into the second half.

Minteh whipped in a teasing cross from the right and the Japan international climbed highest to head home at the far post.

The goal initially changed the flow of the game and moments later Minteh flashed a deflected shot into the side-netting after advancing into a shooting position.

Danny Welbeck then put a right-foot volley narrowly wide of the far post after the home side had failed to deal with a corner.

The Cherries were gifted the chance to retake the lead in the 61st minute after Jan Paul van Hecke clumsily brought down Evanilson, leaving referee Peter Bankes with no option but to award a penalty.

Semenyo stepped up and calmly rolled the ball into the centre of the diving Verbruggen’s net to claim his third goal of the season.

Substitute Baleba’s effort high over the bar was as close as Brighton came to rescuing a point they would not have deserved.