Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton has admitted that his side have surpassed their own expectations so far this season.
The promoted Seagulls sit eighth in the Premier League table after 11 games, with this afternoon's 1-0 victory at home to Swansea City handing them back-to-back top-flight away wins for the first time since 1983.
Brighton are now seven points clear of the relegation zone and already well on the way to the 40-point total which should guarantee survival, but Hughton is eager to keep his side grounded despite their fine start to the campaign.
"We're in quite a nice rhythm at the moment and sometimes that carries you through to the next game. There's no better feeling than winning games and we weren't sure how the season was going to unfold. All we knew it was going to be a very difficult season with the quality we'd be up against," he told reporters.
"Eighth has surpassed our expectation, most newly promoted teams would say the same, but we've got to be guarded against any type of complacency. We go into a very heavy and difficult six weeks after the international break. We've got a lot of difficult games in December and that period will say something about what we're like as a side.
"It's always more pleasing after that last period when you come under pressure because of the offensive changes they make. We defended well in that period and in the end it was a really good away performance. Glenn [Murray] had one chance and scored one goal. It was a good cross from Anthony Knockaert, but he's got to be there and put it away - and that's what Glenn brings us."
Brighton are not in action again until November 20, when they host Stoke City at the Amex Stadium.
Barney Corkhill
