Coppell makes point with negative ploy

If it is south-coast derbies that supporters of these two teams crave then next season may still provide them – but just not between these two particular sides. Portsmouth, if they make the step up to the Premiership, have their eye on the big one in the next campaign, against Southampton. For Brighton, there is the rather more low-key possibility of taking on Bournemouth.

For all that to happen assumes both these teams maintain their current trajectories in the First Division. With Brighton propping up the table, their relegation already looks sealed. For Pompey, a few cracks are beginning to appear in their quest for promotion.

The truth is that Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth side should have wiped the floor with the Seagulls, as they are at opposite ends of the table and 40 points ahead.

Yet Pompey were timid and uninspired, as if frightened by the memory of their last Saturday midday kick-off – when they were two down early on against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Brighton easily contained their visitors without offering too much in attack. The reason behind that was their manager, Steve Coppell, detailing Charlie Oatway to counter the threat of Paul Merson. Coppell freely admitted to this negative but understandable ploy, saying: "We had to cater for Merson. He is a match-winner and a major irritant to 20-odd managers at this level. We had to stop him from playing."

On the other hand Coppell's side are at a stage in the season when they need to go on the offensive. As he said: "Against quality opposition you would say a point is a good result but we've got to start sneaking a few results against the head – ones that we're not expected to win. Having got our noses in front I'm disappointed we didn't get all three points." So the sort of safety-first policy he introduced on Saturday could condemn his side to the drop, leading them to perhaps play Bournemouth next term, who are in contention for promotion out of the Third Division. It is not necessarily the sort of local derby to get the heart going.

However, in the beautiful Sussex sunshine, with the odd pulse of warmth creeping through, Brighton did inch ahead through an excellent solo effort by Bobby Zamora. Ten minutes later the visitors, who had earlier hit the post through Nigel Quashie, were level when Svetoslav Todorov turned and scuffed his shot low past the debutant goalkeeper Ben Roberts, who is on loan from Charlton.

Redknapp did not hang around for long afterwards to share his thoughts on his team, who have only won one of their last eight games. He is unlikely to be so reticent when, and if, Portsmouth play a certain Sainted side next season.

Goals: Zamora (54) 1-0; Todorov (64) 1-1.

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-4-2): Roberts; Mayo, Cullip, Pethick, Watson; Jones, Oatway (Blackwell, 79), Carpenter, Brooker; Zamora, Barrett (Kitson, 83) Substitutes not used: Packham (gk), Hart, Piercy.

Portsmouth (3-5-2): Hislop; Foxe, Primus, Tavlaridis (Crowe, 69); Taylor, Quashie, Merson, Diabaté, Stone (Harper, 38); Todorov, Péricard (Ayegbeni, 56) Substitutes not used: Kawaguchi (gk), Burton.

Referee: M Messias (York).

Bookings: Brighton: Watson. Portsmouth: Stone, Tavlaridis.

Man of the match: Quashie.

Attendance: 6,848.