FRUSTRATION. The buzz word at Dean Court after Cherries threatened to break down Brighton’s dam for long spells of this clash.

Any worries over the number of chances created against Derby seven days earlier soon dissipated as Matt Ritchie’s return proved just the tonic for Eddie Howe’s men.

Ritchie’s guile on the right, supported by fleet-footed Ryan Fraser’s scampering runs down the left, saw Cherries impose similar levels of dominance to those enjoyed in League One last season.

But this, of course, is another level and Cherries paid the ultimate price for their first half profligacy. Two precious points were mercilessly snatched away as one slack moment was punished in emphatic style.

And as irritating as that defensive aberration was, there was little doubt that its significance was magnified by Cherries’ failure to find a second goal during their purple patch.

Indeed, while Brighton enjoyed better possession after the break, Howe’s men looked just as likely as their visitors to force a winner as golden chances went begging.

Pro-active performances like this should see Cherries win more Championship fixtures than they lose, but this match reiterated the harsh reality that landing the killer blow on punch-drunk opponents is crucial to crossing the fine line between success and failure.

Onlookers would have been hard pressed to spot which side was injury-hit with one win in nine league outings and which had won its past three as Cherries, sporting three changes, set about their task with gusto.

A rejuvenated Ritchie involved himself in most attacking moves with his savvy style complementing tenacious Fraser’s torture of Inigo Calderon.

Brighton, so used to mesmerising opponents with pass after pass, soon found themselves clinging on for dear life as Cherries gradually whipped up a first-half maelstrom.

Cracks first started to appear in Albion’s creaking rearguard when the flying Fraser teamed up with Charlie Daniels to set up Brett Pitman whose acrobatic effort fell kindly for Brighton stopper Tomasz Kuszczak.

Patient in possession, the visitors enjoyed a rare foray forward with Calderon wildly lashing over the bar after receiving a lay-off in the Cherries penalty area.

But it proved to be a single scare as the hosts cranked up the pressure, forcing several less cultured challenges from the usually effervescent Seagulls with many going unpunished by man in the middle Jon Moss.

Tokelo Rantie endured a particularly frustrating afternoon with matters not helped by match officials who missed him being dragged to the deck more than once by former England defender Matthew Upson.

The waving away of other appeals infuriated the home crowd but when Jake Forster-Caskey was forced to end Ritchie’s run by wrestling the Cherries wide man to the floor, Brighton’s backline was about to be breached.

Daniels stood to the side and delicately tapped into on-rushing Ritchie’s path, the little maestro blasting a left-foot belter which swung away from the helpless Kuszczak and nestled inside the far post.

Dean Court was rocking and the players continued to probe. Within two minutes, Fraser was leading Calderon a merry dance before swinging in a centre for Ritchie who was denied as Kuszczak beat away his effort from point-blank range.

But despite the Polish custodian’s heroics, he could have done nothing about Fraser’s swerving effort seconds later while Ritchie’s repeated free-kick flew marginally wide via Craig Conway’s deflection on the stroke of half-time.

Shell-shocked, Brighton sent on defensive midfielder Liam Bridcutt in an attempt to stem the flow but Ritchie continued to weave his magic, threading an inch-perfect pass for Pitman who was thwarted at close quarters by Kuszczak.

However, a flash of opportunism from Albion’s Ashley Barnes halted the one-way traffic as Cherries, so successfully on the same frequency for most of the afternoon, briefly tuned out.

Calderon’s quick throw was met by Brighton’s burly number nine who powered inside marker Steve Cook and fired across the exposed Lee Camp, finding the top corner with unerring accuracy.

All that work, all that pressure, gone in a split second.

The sting was suddenly gone as the visitors sat pretty, content to keep possession while trying to prise open Cherries’ door once more.

A well-placed Cook could have made amends with a far-post header on the hour but his thumping effort from Pitman’s dinked free kick was harmlessly high.

Brighton heeded the warning and stroked the ball about, occasionally finding Conway who started to get the better of a tiring Simon Francis in the latter stages.

But even then, Cherries might have snatched a late winner with Pitman’s effort whistling past the far post, while Ritchie forced Kuszczak to scramble a low daisy-cutter round the upright.

Camp angered Barnes after appearing to palm the Seagulls striker away in a petulant moment fuelled by frustration towards the end of this story which came full circle with the familiar presence of one word. Frustration.

MATCH FACTS AND ECHO MERIT MARKS

Cherries: Camp 7, Francis 6, Elphick 7, Cook 6, Daniels 6.5, O’Kane 6.5, Arter 6.5, Ritchie 8.5, Pitman 6.5, Fraser 7.5 (Pugh, 71), Rantie 6 (Thomas, 67).

Unused subs: Harte, Yennaris, Surman, MacDonald, Flahavan (g/k).

Brighton: Kuszczak, Calderon, Greer, Upson, Ward, Ince (Andrews, 68), Crofts, Forster-Caskey (Bridcutt, h-t), Lopez (Orlandi, 65), Barnes, Conway.

Unused subs: Lita, El-Abd, Agustien, Ankergren (g/k).

Booked: Upson.

Attendance: 9,870 (including 1,341 visiting supporters).

Referee: Jon Moss (West Yorks).

ECHO STAR MAN – Matt Ritchie

Very little argument over the stand-out performer as Ritchie returned to the starting line-up armed with verve and swagger.

Even as he tired late on, the wonder winger proved the cornerstone of Cherries’ attacking play. His injection of purpose made all the difference following two stifled Dean Court displays against Bolton and Derby.

He came so close to adding to his first-half blockbuster on more than one occasion and lifted the crowd at vital moments.

Brighton’s goal aside, Steve Cook impressed despite carrying a knock, while Lee Camp was assured between the sticks.