Hello everyone! With five games of the season left there are only six points separating the teams in the playoff places, as the Championship edges towards a dramatic conclusion. This evening Bournemouth will hope to move clear from the chasing pack as they take on an out-of-sorts Brighton at the Amex.

Bournemouth come into tonight's match with a one point lead over Middlesbrough and Watford at the top of the table. They have really had to battle for the leadership over the past week, as Kenwyne Jones struck late to earn them a 1-1 draw at Ipswich, before they fought from two goals down to beat Birmingham City 4-2 on Monday.

Meanwhile, Brighton are languishing in 19th in the table after a disappointing season. They are nine points clear of the bottom three and still not mathematically safe from relegation, but it would take a remarkable sequence of events for them to go down.

TEAM NEWS: Bournemouth have made just one change to their starting lineup, with Marc Pugh coming on for Ryan Fraser, who is ruled out through illness. Meanwhile, there are three changes for the hosts, as Mustapha Carayol, Leon Best and Inigo Calderon come into the side.

BRIGHTON XI: Stockdale, Bruno, Halford, Dunk, Bennett, Stephens, Kayal, Calderon, Teixeira, Carayol, Best

BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc, Daniels, Elphick, Cook, Francis, Pugh, Surman, Arter, Ritchie, Kermorgant, Wilson

BRIGHTON SUBS: Walton, Hughes, Ince, Forster-Caskey, LuaLua, O'Grady, Mackail-Smith

BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Camp, Ward, Smith, Gosling, Stantislas, Pitman, Jones

Is there any league more closely fought in Europe this season? We have a month left to play in the Championship and we still don't know who will win it, let alone finish inside the top six. The most likely contenders for the automatic spots are tonight's visitors Bournemouth on 77 points, closely followed by Norwich and Watford on 76 and Middlesbrough on 75.

Results on Eater Monday just summed up how crazy this season has been. Birmingham were not expected to cause Bournemouth any problems, but they raced into a 2-0 lead before the Cherries fought back to claim the points. Brentford also came from behind and scored two late goals to rescue a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest, while there was a seven-goal thriller as Wolves stayed in the playoff places with a 4-3 win over Leeds.

We could be in for a thriller, as the last game between these teams ended with a 3-2 victory for Bournemouth. They went ahead through Gordon Greer's own goal, before Adriano Colunga quickly levelled. Marc Pugh then restored their lead, but once again Albion hit back through Sam Baldock's strike. However, Yann Kermorgant fired home a late penalty as the Cherries took the points and made it five straight wins in the league.

Right, we're around there minutes away from kick off and both teams have just made their way out onto the pitch. After the usual pre-match formatives this vital clash will finally be getting started!

KICKOFF! We are underway at the Amex!

Neither side has taken control of this match yet, but Bournemouth certainly look the more threatening. They almost come close to creating a decent chance from a well-worked free kick, but Elphick can only touch Ritchie's delivery wide of the far post.

We may have seen very little in the way of goalmouth action, but there has already been some crunching tackles. One of those challenges from Stephens leaves Ritchie in a heap in the centre of the pitch, but the referee waves play on much to Bournemouth's protests.

This has been a decent start from the hosts, who seem as if they are going to cause the Cherries quite a few problems. They have looked a real danger from set pieces and Calderon is unlucky not to get more on his header from an inviting corner.

Teixeira causes another moment of panic for the visitors inside the box, when he works some room and manages to shift the ball onto his right foot. He then looks to fire in a strike at the near post, but Cook gets across to make a great challenge and deflects the ball out for a corner.

Brighton will be delighted at the start they have made to this game and they are on the front foot at the moment. It's been a little bit uncharacteristic though of Bournemouth, who have been really sloppy and have not yet shown the quality that they posses in the final third.

It's still Brighton showing the most threat and they win possession before charging down the left. Carayol is then found and he cuts into the box before firing in a low strike, but his attempt is blocked before Boruc has to make a save.

It's not too often that you see teams dominating possession against Bournemouth but that is exactly what is happening tonight. They are being given no time on the ball by Brighton and they have not even managed to register a shot on goal.

Perhaps it isn't too surprising that Bournemouth haven't hit their stride this evening when you look at their past two results. They fell behind early on against Ipswich and on Monday they were already two goals down at this stage of the match against Birmingham.

We're still waiting for our first big chance of the game and for either keeper to make a save. The game has largely been played in the centre of the pitch and it as becoming rather congested.

SHOT! Finally we see Bournemouth showing some threat in this game. Wilson shows good skill down the right and he manages to set up Ritchie on the edge of the box. The midfielder then fires in a strike, but it takes a deflection and ends up looping comfortably into the gloves of Stockdale.

Bournemouth have just edged ahead in the possession stakes over the past few minutes as they look to find their passing game. There are signs that they are starting to take a grip of proceedings, but Brighton won't give in easily.

The visitors do look the more likely now to score the fist goal of the evening and they are seeing the ball in some more advanced areas of the pitch. They still aren't playing anywhere near as good as they have been this season, but at this point in the game there is no need to panic from Howe or his players.

SHOT! This is much better from Bournemouth and they put together a decent move to find Wilson in the box. The striker tries to work some room to shoot, but there is no space for him to he plays it to Ritchie just outside the box. However, the midfielder misfires once again, with his first-time strike landing in the stands.

It doesn't look like we are going to see a goal before the break, although Bournemouth are showing more urgency. Brighton seem happy to just sit back in numbers and see out the rest of the half before they head to their dressing room.

We are going to have one minute of stoppage time at the end of this first half.

We've reached half time at the Amex and at the moment it is still goalless between Brighton and Bournemouth. There really has been nothing to get excited about and things can surely only get better after the break.

As I mentioned earlier, Brighton have just slightly dominated the possession and they have seen 53% of the ball this evening. They have only had two attempts on goal, with Brighton managing four efforts, but none of those have managed to find the target.

There is another game taking place in the Championship this evening and it's a crucial clash at the bottom between Fulham and Wigan. The Cottagers are currently leading that match 2-1, with Matt Smith scoring just a few moments ago to restore their lead after Jermaine Pennant's free kick had cancelled out Ross McCormack's effort.

Brighton take the kick off and get us back underway!

The second half has started in very much the same fashion as the opening 45 minutes. Both teams have lost the ball cheaply in some promising positions, while the tackles continue to fly in.

Brighton win a free kick in a dangerous area midway into their opponents' half and Stephens steps up to take it. He has plenty of men to aim for and whips in a teasing delivery that just misses the heads of his teammates and drops just wide of the far post.

CHANCE! Out of nothing Brighton are on the attack as Caldern wins the ball from Daniels deep inside the Bournemouth half. It is then worked to Stephens on the edge of the box and he looks to curl a strike into the top corner, but it ends up heading just over the bar.

This game is threatening to spring into life as the visitors break down the other end of the pitch. Pugh does well to burst down the left and has Wilson in the middle, but his delivery is poor and he ends up crossing into the arms of the keeper.

SHOT! Brighton are looking really lively at the moment and they work another good shooting chance for Stephens. This time the midfielder is found loitering outside the box by Best, but once more he lashes the strike over the bar.

CHANCE! What a massive chance to score this is for former Bournemouth player Best! The striker takes down a long ball from the keeper brilliantly and finds himself bearing down on goal. He then takes a couple of touches and looks to drill in a strike, but his effort is poor and goes straight into the keeper's gloves.

CHANCE! The opening 15 minutes of this half have been so much better than the entire first 45 minutes. We've seen chances at both ends of the pitch and Bournemouth threaten when Kermorgant meets a cross from Ritchie, before guiding a header just wide of the far post.

SHOT! This would have been a wonderful goal from Carayol. The Brighton man picks up the ball inside his own half and as space opens up for him, he charges forward. He keeps going and drives to the edge of the box before firing in a low strike that is well-blocked by Elphick.

SUBSTITUTION: The visitors make their first change of the match, with Smith coming on for Pugh.

SUBSTITUTION: Kayal has picked up a knock and is unable to continue, so Ince comes on to take his place.

YELLOW CARD! Dunk is the first player to pick up a booking this evening for a rash challenge on Smith. It has given Bournemouth a free kick just outside the box and there are a number of players standing over the ball licking their lips at this.

What a brilliant goal this is from Kermorgant. The striker steps up and whips the free kick into the far corner of the net and beyond the helpless reach of Stockdale. It's huge goal for the visitors and it could be enough to send them four points clear at the top of the Championship.

DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Brighton respond to falling behind by making a couple of changes, as Mackail-Smith and Lua Lua come on for Teixeira and Carayol.

It's worth remembering that Bournemouth haven't been able to keep a clean sheet in their previous eight games away from home, so it is far from over tonight. Brighton haven't really shown much threat since going behind and it really would take something special for them to peg back the league leaders.

For so long this evening it looked as if the game would end in a disappointing draw, but now Bournemouth are well on their way to three crucial points. Wilson is freed by Kermorgant's clipped ball over the top and after driving into the box he works the ball onto his right foot, before sliding a low finish past Stockdale. If Bournemouth do end up winning promotion, then this win will surely go down as a defining moment in their season.

SUBSTITUTION: Kermorgant has scored one and set up another and he heads off for the final minutes for Gosling.

Brighton must be given credit for how they have played this evening, but they have been undone by two moments of real quality. The Cherries have battled hard tonight and this result will give them a major boost ahead of the final four games of the season.

CHANCE! Mackail-Smith almost gets on the scorehseet with a stunning goal. He is out wide on the right and there doesn't look much on, but he lashes in a powerful strike on the half-volley that beats Boruc and ends up dropping narrowly wide of the far post.

SUBSTITUTION: It's a late change for the visitors, with Jones coming on for Wilson.

We are going to have at least three minutes of stoppage time.

YELLOW CARD! Smith goes into the book late on for Bournemouth after a poor challenge on Bennett.

The final whistle blows and Bournemouth have taken a massive step to reaching the Premier League by beating Birghton this evening. Late goals from Yann Kermorgant and Callum Wilson have bagged them three crucial points that has sent them four clear at the top of the league. They were far from their best, but at this stage of the season a win is all that matters.

Our coverage for this evening is over, but make sure you stick with us throughout the weekend, as we've got plenty more live commentaries to come. Until then, goodbye!