BRIGHTON debutant Will Buckley was the two-goal hero after dramatically saving their house warming party from turning sour at the Amex Stadium yesterday.
Doncaster’s Billy Sharp deservedly opened the scoring in the first half for the pre-season favourites for relegation from the Championship.
But Rovers’ prolific striker was carried off on a stretcher shortly after half-time following a crude lunge from Seagulls’ centre back Lewis Dunk.
And referee Eddie Ilderton, close to losing control of a fiery clash, also sent Brighton manager Gus Poyet to the stands before the interval.
But Buckley, a £1million summer signing from Watford, scored with a rasping drive from 25-yards after 83 minutes, nine minutes after coming on a sub.
And deep into seven minutes of injury time he curled the winner past Doncaster goalkeeper Gary Wood.
“Will Buckley has won the game, and that is why the subs are there,” said Brighton boss Poyet.
“My style is to change the game and we’re lucky to have him on the bench.
On his red card Poyet added: “With the sending off, that’s just me. If I change, then I’ll go home.
The flag waving 20,219 crowd was the biggest league attendance at Brighton for 28 years. It had appeared a sentimental move from the fixture computer to hand nomads Brighton Doncaster as their first league opposition to visit the Amex.
Also the last team to play at the Goldstone Ground more than 14 years ago, Rovers are another team to have come back from the brink of extinction.
But desperately disappointed Doncaster manager Sean O’Driscoll, who also saw James Hayter carried off on a stretcher late on, said: “It has happened to us so many times before with the late goals.
“The tackle on Billy was high and late, but I don’t want to encourage anyone to send players off and a booking was maybe all he could do.