Team News From The Seagulls Camp

Last updated : 08 March 2008 By Thetashkentterror
Dean Wilkins
Albion boss Dean Wilkins spoke to the Brighton Argus about his side's trip to Brunton Park tomorrow, Wilkins showing concern about Carlisle's home form that shows the Blues looking for a twelfth successive league win at Brunton Park :

"We definitely have to make that breakthrough now, because I think we have showed we can comfortably compete against the top sides. It is just going that little extra bit and winning those three points. That is the thing we have to achieve now to get to our goal of at least a play-off place. We are going to have to break that hoodoo.

"Their home form is quite frightening. Thirteen wins, one draw and one defeat in 15 games is by far the best in the league, so we have a huge challenge on our hands. After a successful period at home we now need to get our away form back on track and the first thing we need to be is extremely solid collectively. It has to be a real team effort."



Meanwhile, former Blue Glenn Murray, who will no doubt play the part of a pantomime villain tomorrow, commented on his return to Brunton Park :

"I am looking forward to going back. I spent two and a half good seasons up there and thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't so much got a point to prove, I'd like to get three points for Brighton. They made money off me so I am sure they were happy and I was happy leaving. I think it was the right time to move on for both parties. I think the club progressed too quickly for me personally.

"I signed when they were in the Conference and then back-to-back promotions put us in League One in quite a short space of time. I think it was too big a step for me too quickly. The best thing I did was to get away down to Rochdale and learn my trade a bit down there. I got a lot more starts there and played a lot more football.

"The player award was very nice but I am more pleased with how the results are going. We set ourselves a target over the last six matches and more or less reached it, so all the players are happy and we just want to keep this run going. I didn't think I would get as many goalscoring opportunities - I've had quite a few.

"I've got no complaints. We are winning games and that is what we are paid to do. We are also in a rhythm of not losing games, no matter when the opposition score. We managed to get a draw against Leyton Orient after they scored late on and Gillingham went 1-0 up and we came back and put four past them.

"It is the longest trip for most clubs so I am sure that has got a little bit to do with their home form but also the weather and the pitch, which is quite big up there, are factors as well. They did well at Forest on Monday night so I am expecting a few there. These are the games you want to play in and we want to prove ourselves in these games. The play-offs are quite nerve-racking but definitely the most enjoyable way of going up."



Brighton have two players out of action, but for differing reasons. Firstly midfielder Dean Cox, who was left out of the midweek victory over the Gills due to disciplinary reasons for the second time this season, after making comments on the bench about his team-mates following his substitution against Leyton Orient last Saturday. Cox only turning out for the Albion in a 2-0 Sussex Senior Cup semi-final victory against Lewes on Wednesday evening, and he has been left out of the first team squad again this weekend.
 
Secondly, striker Dean Bowditch, on loan from Ipswich, looks to have played his last match for the Seagulls as he faces a scan on Monday for a groin problem. Midfielder Steve Thomson, who missed the 4-2 win over Gillingham at the Withdean Stadium on Tuesday night with a stiff neck, is the only other player with a question mark next to his participation. Thomson flew north with the Seagulls squad on Friday though and looks likely to take his place in the Albion starting line-up.



The referee for tomorrow's match is Mike Pike from Barrow, and he will be assisted down the lines by Geoff Eltringham from Sunderland and Dave McCallum who is also from the Tyne and Wear area. Meanwhile the fourth official is Iain Siddall from Bolton.