Albion finally shrugged off the pattern of second half fading and failure to claim their most satisfying home scalp of the season.

For the first time at Withdean during the current campaign they went on to win without being in front at the halfway stage.

Even when they have been ahead at the break they have often come unstuck, Millwall's comeback on New Year's Eve being a case in point.

The sense of deja vu was overwhelming in the first half as the Seagulls took the lead and Dean Hammond went agonisingly close to making it 2-0. It has happened so many times and an extra setback had to be dealt with on this occasion when an outrageous penalty decision by Premiership referee Andy D'Urso gifted Leeds an equaliser.

The players, to a man, dug in and were rewarded with a late winner by Gary Hart which hauled them back out of the relegation zone.

Paul Reid - goalscorer, unfortunate spot-kick culprit and goal-maker in an eventful return to the starting line-up - acknowledged: "I don't think we have done it very often this season, gone on and won the game 2-1.

"We tend to either hold on for a 1-1 draw or lose so it was very encouraging. The manager said after the game that was the most pleasing thing. We went in at half-time at 1-1 and he just gave us a lot of confidence to go out and get the three points. It's a massive result to come back from four straight defeats."

I am an unashamed admirer of the job Mark McGhee has done and continues to do as Albion manager in the most challenging circumstances. Of course he makes mistakes, but he is honest enough to own up to them. Too many fans are too quick to jump on his back.

His detractors give him flak for some of his team selections and positional choices. At times it is justified, like at Luton over Christmas when, by his own admission, he made too many alterations to the side which had beaten QPR 48 hours earlier.

Frequently, though, the criticism is misguided and the hat-trick of changes he made to the line-up on Saturday were all vindicated.

Michel Kuipers, back in goal for Flo Chaigneau following an outstanding performance in the reserves, did nothing wrong apart from one stray kick. His handling was excellent and he made a fine save in the first half from a bending free-kick by Robbie Blake.

Joel Lynch, 18, acquitted himself with considerable promise again on his home debut at leftback in place of Kerry Mayo against the cultured Blake.

Reid, back on the right side of midfield for the first time since the start of the season, could hardly have been more influential to the outcome and his inclusion also had a telling knock-on effect to the latest surprise McGhee had up his sleeve up front.

Hart's clinching contribution came in the role where he began his Albion career eight years ago as an orthodox striker alongside the free-spirited Seb Carole with Colin Kazim-Richards relegated to the bench.

"I don't think anyone would have predicted me and Seb up front," Hart admitted. "It raised a few eyebrows but I was just told to go for the headers and Butler (Paul, the Leeds captain) won hardly anything!

"My brother is working in Israel at the moment. His best friend is a Leeds supporter and he phoned me up about two hours before the game. He was caning me, saying don't get anyone sent off like I did last time. I really can't wait to phone him back!"

Hart was involved in the incident which led to Matthew Kilgallon seeing red in the corresponding fixture last season when Butler also received his marching orders in a 1-0 defeat.

Leeds are a much better side now than they were then and Albion no longer have Adam Virgo, their matchwinner that day. Which makes this victory all the sweeter.

Reid launched it in the tenth minute, the Australian nipping in un-noticed at the near post to convert a low cross from Alex Frutos with a deft touch with the outside of his right foot.

The luckless Hammond headed against a post from Carole's corner and stabbed just wide either side of Reid's opener before D'Urso turned the Seagulls' man from Down Under from hero to unfortunate villain.

Eddie Lewis went down far too easily as Reid shielded a cross. D'Urso fell for it and, to the surprise of everyone including the Leeds players, pointed to the spot. Blake converted the penalty via a post, a severe blow for Albion to stomach seven minutes from the break.

The chances dried up for both teams in the second half. Leeds, having started with two £1 million-plus strikers in Blake and Richard Cresswell, introduced two more in David Healy and Rob Hulse during the last quarter of the contest but Hart, bought from Stansted for £1,000 and the price of a team strip all those years ago, upstaged the lot of them by settling the contest with nine minutes left.

The forward converted by Albion into a right winger, then rightback and now a forward again, met Reid's cross to the near post with a first-time shot into the roof of the net.

Hart, like Reid celebrating his first goal of the season, was asked if he could remember when he last scored. "I don't think I had kids then," he joked. "I'm not known for loads of goals anyway but it was just nice to get in there.

"Every training session the gaffer drums it into us to get across the near post. We haven't been doing it much but we scored two goals from it and I think the gaffer is most happy with that."

Reid predicted he would end his drought even though he did not expect to be starting. He revealed: "I did say to Alexis Nicolas before the game I'm going to score today', so it's bizzare how things happen. You just have a feeling sometimes.

"I expected to be on the bench and when Adam El-Abd was named at rightback I knew my only chance was right midfield. It was quite refreshing to play there again, get in more advanced positions and work well with Seb and Harty to create some chances.

"It was definitely not a penalty. I knew he (Lewis) was on my left and I stood my ground, stayed strong, held my arms out and came away with the ball. I couldn't believe it."

A minute later Reid was baulked right on the edge of the Leeds box by Stephen Crainey but the hapless D'Urso didn't even give a foul. Thankfully, the Essex official's sorry performance didn't matter.

Albion head for second-placed Sheffield United, where they won last season, unbeaten in four meetings with Leeds since returning to Championship level and two points clear of the relegation zone, a high point for Doug Loft to join the fight. The roof is a long way from caving in on the battle to beat the drop.