Reading forward Rougier, who signed for Brighton on a one-month loan last week, came off the bench at the New Den to score the only goal of the game as Brighton defeated Millwall 1-0.
The South-Coast side, who have under performed this year after winning the Second Division Championship last season, have moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since August.
Brighton's bid for survival appears to be gathering pace, they have won their last three matches whilst fellow struggles Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke and Grimsby continue to rack up defeat after defeat.
Rougier is hoping to make an impression whilst on loan at the Withdean Stadium and is eager to convince the players that they are good enough to stay up.
"I want to try and instil the belief in my team-mates that we can stay up. Now I have played for Brighton, who are such a hard working team, I have no doubt in it.
"I'm not at Brighton just to play in one game, but I'll need to work hard for my place. The aim is to leave Brighton in a better position than when I arrived.
"Although I had other offers, joining Brighton felt right for me and it's a relief to score in my first game and for my new team to win."
Trinidad & Tobago international Rougier infamously went eighteen months without scoring for Reading but is now averaging a goal a game for Brighton, albeit after just one appearance. The Reading man reacted quickest to poke Graham Barrett's through ball past Tony Warner just after the hour mark.
Meanwhile boss Steve Coppell is hoping that there is more to come from 'The Rouge' but believes the 31-year-old must work on his fitness if he is to command a place in the Brighton starting line-up.
"I think Tony accepts he needs some fitness work, but this is something we can address over the coming days. He's not a prolific scorer, so let's hope he hasn't run dry already," commented Coppell.
Brighton will be hoping to make it four successive wins when they travel to Gillingham next weekend.