A MISSED penalty flick with ten minutes to go ended Fareham's prospects of shattering Brighton & Hove's proud ten-match unbeaten run at the top of South Premier League, Division 2.

Improving Fareham, with four wins in their previous five games, were ready to spring the upset of the season after a Jim Moseley double wiped out Brighton's 2-0 lead.

And when Craig Peel was sent sprawling to give Fareham a late penalty, it was odds-on Scott Shirley getting the winner.

But Shirley, having sent the visitors goalkeeper the wrong way, saw his penalty flick scream over the bar.

How Brighton made them pay - South African hot shot Craig Corolan converting a hat-trick of penalty corners as Fareham crashed to an undeserved 5-2 defeat.

"It was an unjust result," claimed Fareham coach Nigel Cook. "We showed tremendous character to come back from 2-0 down, but the outcome turned on that penalty miss.

"Scott's been a model of consistency all season and Brighton conceded they would probably have lost had the penalty gone in."

Despite fine saves by former Southampton goalminder Mike Irving, the outlook appeared grim when Brighton surged into a 2-0 lead.

"But we played well tactically and Brighton struggled to combat our aerial play. We've come a long way in the last month or so and I'm optimistic we will carry on improving," Cook added.

Fareham, however, could be without influential South African Craig Barton (calf injury) for Saturday's visit to Staines - one place above them in the table.