LIAM Lawrence's last penalty marked the lowest point of his young career.

Needing to score to keep Mansfield in the play-off final against Huddersfield at the Millennium Stadium last season, he strode up to the spot with his trademark confidence.

He had scored all but one of his 13 spot-kicks in the regular season, putting the ball either to the keeper's left or right.

But with division one looming for the Stags he inexplicably opted to chip the keeper and saw his effort hit the bar and go over. The Terriers went up, but for Lawrence and the rest of Keith Curle's men another season in the basement beckoned.

Unbeknown to Lawrence, however, Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy had been keeping tabs on him and, having been given a glowing report from his contact at Field Mill, goalkeeping coach Seamus McDonagh, the Black Cats pounced.

Fast-forward to Saturday and the Stadium of Light. With Sunderland 1-0 up but in need of a second to sew the game up against Brighton, Lawrence skipped into the box and after riding one tackle was felled by Dan Harding.

Referee Phil Joslin pointed to the spot and, with regular taker Marcus Stewart having been substituted, Lawrence ignored Julio Arca's protestations and put the ball on the spot himself.

That day in May must have crossed his mind but rather than risk the wrath of McCarthy with what has become known as 'the Whitley' in these parts, he fired the ball low and hard into the right-hand corner.

As McCarthy put it: "It's nice when someone grabs it, says 'I'm having it' and puts it in the net."

It's not quite in the Stuart Pearce realm of exorcisms but it was an important moment and it helped send the Black Cats fifth in the table with a third of the season gone.

Getting there on Saturday was hard work, with Brighton offering little going forward and with their defence packed tighter than Jordan's brassiere.

Predicting such a strategy, McCarthy dropped midweek scorer Dean Whitehead in favour of Lawrence, while also bringing in Danny Collins for Darren Carter.

That move enabled Arca to operate wide left and gave the side more "craft and guile" as McCarthy put it.

Though they started brightly, Sunderland began to get bogged down as the first half wore on, so much so that McCarthy had to motion to Lawrence to be patient when he attempted a long ball over the defence.

Their growing frustration at Brighton's negative tactics was personified by Jeff Whitley when he earned himself a booking after clattering into Adam El-Abd eight minutes before the break.

Though Whitley had earlier seen his low shot saved by Michel Kuipers, the nearest Sunderland came to a goal came as the result of a free-kick 25 yards out. Arca played the ball at an angle to Carl Robinson, whose shot rebounded before being played back into the box. Kuipers came to punch but missed and as the ball hit the turf Stephen Elliott attempted to stab the ball goalwards but saw his effort blocked by sheer weight of numbers.

Sunderland kept pushing forward at the start of the second half but the end result was still missing and it was a tactical change by Seagulls' boss Mark McGhee that led to them getting the reward their endeavours deserved.

Alby Jarrett came on at the expense of El-Abd - McGhee saying later he felt thought a win was possible at the time - and after Michael Bridges replaced Marcus Stewart for the home side the breakthrough came.

Lawrence cut in from the right, rode two challenges before firing in a stinging shot that Kuipers could only parry into the path of Bridges. The former Leeds and Bolton player, who has not scored for four years, contrived to put the ball on to the bar. Thankfully, it rebounded conveniently to Arca at the far post and he was able to steer it home.

Sunderland went for the kill and Bridges had another chance. But letting fly with his right foot he saw the ball swerve wide of the right hand upright.

Bridges was not the only one guilty of profligacy in front of goal. Elliott should have wrapped the game up on 77 minutes after Arca put the ball on the plate for him eight yards out, but running on to it he was perhaps a little too nonchalant and his side-foot effort went over the bar.

Five minutes later it was game over when Lawrence was brought down and, fittingly for a Halloween weekend, exorcised the ghosts of seasons past.

"Having had an indifferent start we are almost on a par with last season," said McCarthy. "I think the players are doing really well. When teams come here and sit back and play like that it's going to be frustrating.

"But the players that have come to the club I have been delighted with."

Result: Sunderland 2 Brighton 0.

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