There was nothing to separate Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion in a tight and goalless affair at Gtech Community Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Both sides did their best to edge a keenly fought contest, but neither was able to find a decisive breakthrough in west London.

Brighton denied penalty after VAR check

Thomas Frank named an unchanged side to the one that had been so dominant in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United just four days earlier.

The one change to the matchday squad saw Sergio Reguilón return from his one-game suspension to take a place on the bench in place of Ryan Trevitt.

The visitors made four changes from Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

Top scorer João Pedro returned to lead the line for the Seagulls and was one of four changes as Igor Julio, Adam Lallana and Facundo Buonanotte also came back into the side.

An even opening 10 minutes saw no clear-cut opportunities for either side. Pascal Groß’s low cross from the left threatened slightly but the away side failed to make the most of the half-chance.

Brentford fashioned the match’s best opening moments later.

A patient move from back to front saw Lewis-Potter’s clever flick find its way around the corner into Mathias Jensen.

The midfielder, who was making his 200th appearance for the club on the night, then laid it back to the wide man before his cross was turned just around the wrong side of the near post by the arriving Yoane Wissa.

Joel Veltman met Groß’s long diagonal pass into the area and Flekken did well to hold on to the ball, with the German midfielder then firing over on the turn on 22 minutes.

Jensen worked his way to the byline but had his cross well gathered by Bart Verbruggen before Wissa proved a thorn in the Brighton side once more.

His good hold-up play saw a link-up with Ivan Toney set the striker in on goal inside the area, but his shot lacked the power to cause Verbruggen too much of a problem.

João Pedro, van Hecke, Lallana and twice Buonanotte all threatened for Brighton in reply as the game headed towards the break.

But there was to be a moment of controversy right on half-time. Lewis Dunk and Wissa tussled in the area, with Andrew Madley advised to go to the screen to check the incident with VAR. The referee stuck to his on-field decision of no foul and the teams went in level.

Welbeck goes close in stoppage-time as game ends goalless

Wissa was straight back into the action after the restart, colliding with van Hecke in the Brighton box, but Madley waved away calls for a spot-kick once more.

A quickly taken throw-in from Nathan Collins released Toney who laid the ball into Wissa, but the former couldn’t connect with the cross into the area.

Mikel Damsgaard then replaced Yehor Yarmoliuk in the first Bees’ change of the evening in what was a quieter half than the first.

Toney fired over a free-kick after good play from the substitute and Wissa, before the latter made way for the returning Reguilón and Bryan Mbeumo was introduced in place of Lewis-Potter as the game crept towards its final 15 minutes.

Igor fired wide of Flekken’s left-hand post and substitute Julio Enciso forced the Dutch international into a routine stop as both sides searched for what was looking likely to be a decisive goal.

Kristoffer Ajer rose highest to flick Jensen’s throw into the area, but Brighton held firm, before the defender was pivotal at the other end as he denied Welbeck with a last-ditch challenge.

João Pedro’s shot was well blocked, and Welbeck headed wide, as the fourth official indicated three added minutes at the end of the game.

The dangerous-looking Welbeck raced clear of the Brentford defence and flashed a shot narrowly wide and there was still just about time for Flekken to launch one final Brentford attack, but Madley brought the game to an end shortly after Brighton had cleared as it ended honours even.

Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Ajer, Zanka, Collins; Lewis-Potter (Reguilón 73); Janelt, Jensen (Onyeka 86), Yarmoliuk (Damsgaard 64); Wissa (Mbeumo 73), Toney

Subs not used: Strakosha, Maupay, Ghoddos, Baptiste, Ji-soo

Brighton and Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman (Moder 86), Dunk, van Hecke, Igor Julio; Baleba, Groß, Lallana (Enciso 64), Buonanotte (Lamptey 73), Adingra (Welbeck 73), João Pedro.

Subs not used: Steele, Estupinan, Offiah, Peupion, O’Mahony

Attendance: 17,024

Frank: Brighton draw a 'good point'

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank insisted that he is never satisfied with a draw - but believes that the Bees' stalemate with Brighton and Hove Albion is a "good point" for his side.

“We’re never happy when we don't win,” said Frank.

“But what I will say is that I think it is a good point because, with all the suffering we've been through this season, we've not been good enough to think, ‘If we can't win, we don't lose’.

“Not that we have that, we always want to go for the win; as you could see from the free-kick, bringing everyone up three minutes into added time. So we go for the win always, but to get a point when you can't win is good.

“A clean sheet as well, we’re very happy with that. And now we are on an unbeaten run - I say that with a smile! But I actually mean it, that’s two games in a row that we’ve got something out of.

“That’s something we normally are very good at, we are very difficult to play against in many ways, so [to get back to that], that's very positive.”

Janelt: Brentford boosted by returning forwards

With Aston Villa up next for Brentford on Saturday, midfielder Vitaly Janelt believes that the Bees will be boosted by the return of Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade.

Mbeumo is pushing for a first start since 6 December having made substitute appearances against Burnley, Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion, while Kevin Schade stepped up his return from an adductor injury by scoring a penalty in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Jersey Road on Tuesday.

“The last home game that we played against them we were a bit unlucky – we put a great performance in, especially with how many injuries we had – and now week by week we have players coming back," said Janelt.

“We’re happy to have Bryan back and I think Kev might be in the squad. We can attack Aston Villa and the last games.”