Fran Kirby’s first-half strike proved the winner as Brighton beat Tottenham 1-0 in their Women’s Super League encounter at Gaughan Group Stadium.

Kirby opened the scoring with three minutes remaining of the first half when she was teed up unselfishly by Rachel McLauchlan.

The hosts, missing captain Bethany England through injury, struggled to create many chances and have now gone four WSL games without a victory.

Brighton move up to fifth position in the Women’s Super League table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City but just one clear of Liverpool in sixth.

Chances were few and far between in the first half, which began with Brighton goalkeeper Melina Loeck coming out to deal with a couple of crosses before Martha Thomas directed an effort off target.

It remained much the same for half an hour, Tottenham largely able to keep the threat from Nikita Parris – recalled to Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the first time since November 2022 last month – nullified.

Spurs breathed a sigh of relief when midfielder Drew Spence slipped and allowed Kirby a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but her effort was too high, then Lize Kop reacted quickly to keep out an Albion corner that had creeped under the crossbar.

Marisa Olislagers then stung Kop’s palms from distance, beginning a good spell for Brighton, eventually breaking the deadlock from a well-worked sequence three minutes before the break.

McLauchlan picked out the unmarked Kirby, who guided the opener into the far corner.

Brighton appealed for a penalty against Tottenham after the break and Parris volleyed just wide of the far post from a corner.

Parris directed a header straight at Kop just after the hour then stooped to save one from Madison Haley with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Both bosses had made a number of changes by the time the game’s lone goal-scorer was substiuted for Michelle Agyemang in the 75th minute, with Spurs still searching for an equaliser.

But it was Brighton who continued to look likelier to score when Agyemang could not quite connect with a delivery from a free-kick played short.

Ella Morris fired a late Tottenham chance over then made a critical intervention to deny Brighton from doubling their advantage from a corner.