Looking to keep tabs on leaders Chelsea, who headed into today with a five-point lead at the summit, a victory over the Seagulls would have energised our hopes of catching the Blues however, we knew we were up against it as we faced the side just behind us in the table in third-placed Brighton.
And, in truth, we really struggled to get going at our Enfield training base as the south-coast visitors took an early lead through Jacob Parsons before Henry Kasvosve curled in and Parsons struck again in the final 30 minutes to put the game out of reach of us.
Harry Byrne did fire back with a sumptuous free-kick with a matter of minutes remaining to reduce the arrears but that was to be our only real highlight as we endured a tough day on home soil.
Across London, Chelsea ran out 5-1 winners at Fulham to move eight points clear. We have a game in hand on the Blues with four matches remaining of the campaign so we know all is not lost, but we will need a number of results to go our way in the final few weeks if we are to take top spot.
Brighton started on the front foot in north London and were quick to make their first opportunity of the game count as a neat one-two between Parsons and Bailey Palmer saw the former released into the area where he dinked the ball over Dylan Thompson to open the scoring on 10 minutes. Moments later Zac Brennan drilled an effort from range inches wide of the upright, further enforcing the visitors' early dominance.
Knowing the importance of the game, we did respond to the early setback with Tye Hall firing straight at the goalkeeper from range before Reiss Elliott-Parris had a couple of efforts - the first blocked before he prodded a cross off target - but they were half chances in truth.
On the stroke of half-time, the Seagulls came very close to doubling their advantage as Jackson Morby hooked a ball towards goal. It managed to evade Thompson in goal but thankfully Oscar Sandiford - who enjoyed a fine afternoon at full-back - was well positioned to head the ball clear from the goal line.
The visitors threat continued after the break and they grabbed their second of the afternoon just after the hour mark. Having seen substitute Billy-Rae Cullinane cut in from the left before firing just wide of the far post minutes after the restart, Kasvosve tried the same from the right 10 minutes later and managed to curl his effort delicately into the far corner of the net.
Parsons then wrapped up the points for Brighton with 10 minutes remaining as the 16-year-old showed real striker's instinct to lurk in the middle of the area, wait for the ball to find before diverting it home to see his side lead 3-0.
Despite Brighton's dominance in the scoreline, it never felt like we were ever out of the game as we always provided a threat. Whether that be from Miracle Adewole's instinctive volley which stung the hands of Liam Doyle or Armend Muslika's effort from range which he dragged just wide, we were creating chances.
Eventually, we buried one of them with Byrne curling home a free-kick on 90 minutes. It was a strike of such quality that it might have been worthy of being a match winner on most days. Alas, despite it's brilliance, it came too late leaving us with a mountain to climb in the final few weeks of the league campaign.
Line-ups