Barnes netted his fifth goal of the campaign with 10 minutes remaining at Ashton Gate as Brighton made it five wins out of six since winning promotion as League One champions last term.

However, second-placed Southampton stayed within a point of Gus Poyet's men thanks to their 3-2 win over Steve McClaren's Forest at St Mary's - a club record 12th successive home league win for the Saints.

Lambert was the home side's hero, scoring twice in the first half before completing his treble in the 82nd minute with what would prove to be the winner.

Forest, who have won just once in the league this season, scored through Matt Derbyshire and Radoslaw Majewski as the teams went into half-time level at 2-2.

Middlesbrough - one of only two unbeaten teams along with Brighton - were also victorious today as goals at the start of either half from Nicky Bailey and Joe Bennett saw them down Burnley 2-0.

West Ham claimed their first home win in more than six months after seeing off Portsmouth in an exciting encounter that produced seven goals and saw both teams have players sent off.

Luke Varney's early opener for Portsmouth was quickly wiped out by Matthew Taylor's free-kick before West Ham took a 53rd-minute lead through debutant Henri Lansbury, only to see Pompey draw level seven minutes later through David Norris.

Portsmouth then lost Liam Lawrence to a second booking in the 67th minute and West Ham looked to have taken full advantage as, in the following nine minutes, Mark Noble (penalty) and Carlton Cole both netted to put the hosts 4-2 up.

However, in stoppage time West Ham suffered a scare when they saw Frederic Piquionne shown a straight red card before Portsmouth defender Greg Halford made it 4-3 from the penalty spot, but Sam Allardyce's men had done enough to take the points.

Sixth-placed Crystal Palace slipped to only their second loss of the season after going down 3-2 at Leeds.

Ross McCormack's eighth-minute opener for the hosts was soon cancelled out by strikes from Patrick McCarthy and Sean Scannell, but Leeds hit back in the second half to claim the victory thanks to efforts from substitute Sean Scannell and McCormack, whose winner arrived six minutes from time.

Leicester gave a debut to striker Jermaine Beckford and he helped set up Andy King for a second-half equaliser as the Foxes drew 1-1 at Barnsley, for whom Jacob Butterfield had opened the scoring.

Second-half goals from Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Barry Ferguson helped Blackpool defeat Ipswich 2-0 at home.

Watford climbed out of the bottom three as goals from Mark Yeates and John Eustace earned them their first win of the season at fellow strugglers Reading.

Anthony Gerrard and Robert Earnshaw's second-half goals give Cardiff victory over bottom club Doncaster, while Aaron McLean scored the only goal as Hull defeated Peterborough.