Adriana Leon’s superb solo goal proved enough for Aston Villa to survive a late sending-off and earn a battling 1-0 Women’s Super League win over Brighton at the Bescot Stadium.

Leon scored the only goal of the game just past the hour mark when she cut in from the flank and poked the ball through the legs of visiting keeper Sophie Baggaley to give her side a deserved lead.

Villa were forced to play the last few minutes with 10 players after Maz Pacheco was sent off for a second bookable offence after a foul on Katie Robinson.

That threat was made apparent within the first 30 seconds when the Norway star attempted an effort which flew just over Villa keeper Anna Leat’s bar.

Villa recovered and Rachel Daly’s shot that was saved by Baggaley in the Brighton goal sparked a series of chances, with Daly coming close again before Kenza Dali fired a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box.

Brighton served a reminder of the threat they pose up front when Poppy Pattison flicked a shot wide in the 19th minute after being played in by a cross from Pauline Bremer.

The chance roused the visitors, who pressed forward with Terland finding the side-netting before Villa responded as Dali drove through the visiting defence to shoot straight at Baggaley.

The increasingly busy Baggaley saved an ambitious overhead kick from Daly before spilling an effort from the England forward into the path of Leon, who chipped home the rebound only to be ruled marginally offside.

After more Villa chances, Brighton once again came close to snatching the half-time lead when Terland burst through the Villa defence and chipped keeper Leat only to see her shot dip and strike the woodwork.

Kirsty Hannon was guilty of a pair of glaring misses in the early stages of the second half and the frustration began to grow for Villa who were failing to turn their obvious superiority into goals.

The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute when Leon made inroads down the flank, and with limited opportunities to play in team-mates, opted to go it alone and struck a low shot beyond the Brighton keeper.

Terland once again came close for Brighton with an effort that was palmed away by Leat, and the hosts were forced to live on their nerves after Pacheco’s dismissal in the closing stages.