Andrew Whing is resigned to more family ribbing about his dreadful goal drought.

The fullback has never scored for Albion and it is over three-and-a-half years since he last netted for former club Coventry.

Whing came agonisingly close to ending his famine when a second-half header from a corner was cleared off the line at Oldham last Saturday, but there was little sympathy from his dad for his latest near-miss.

Whing said: “I picked up my phone to my old man after the game. He’d heard what happened on the radio and he just started hammering me. He said I couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo!

“I told him I’m trying my best, what more can I do? I’ve suffered from good clearances off the line and disallowed goals.

“I just don’t think it is going to happen for me. I think it’s best if I am just left at the back defending.”

Fortunately for Whing, he had been spared dressing room banter from his team-mates about his modest goalscoring record – that is until yesterday morning.

“Actually, Fozzy (Nicky Forster) gave me a bit for some reason. The first thing he said was when was the last time I had scored?

“Just because he’s scored a hundred and odd goals, (194 to be precise) there is no need to take it out on me!”

All in all, Whing has hit the target just twice in 207 games. The last one, mind you, was memorable and has guaranteed him a place in Coventry folklore.

He struck the last ever goal at the Sky Blues’ former home, Highfield Road, in a 6-2 thrashing of Derby in April 2005.

If only Whing’s goal count matched his card count. He collected his fourth caution of the season, and 22nd in total in 88 appearances for Albion, last Saturday following a challenge on Oldham’s highly-rated winger Chris Taylor which landed him in trouble with referee Dave Foster.

Whing feels a little hard done by and insists his disciplinary record is improving after racking up 11 yellow cards, one red and three bans last season.

“He (Foster) was saying it was persistent fouling," Whing said. “I think I only gave away two in the game and the one I was booked for wasn’t a foul for me.

“I just got in front of him and he was all over me but he gave a free-kick to them.

“That was my fourth booking so I am looking at a suspension if I pick up another one.

“I think I had about seven or eight bookings by this time last year, so my game has got better. I’m more controlled, especially with referees, and I’m staying on my feet a bit more as well.”

Whing coped pretty well overall with Taylor as Albion shrugged off the early penalty conceded by Adam Virgo and his subsequent red card to come away from Boundary Park with a 1-1 draw.

He faces another tough test at Withdean tomorrow night against former Barnet winger Jason Puncheon, currently on loan to high-flying visitors MK Dons from Plymouth.

Whing has been left out of the side twice recently by Micky Adams, at Peterborough and at Stockport in the match prior to Oldham.

Now he wants to build on his encouraging comeback in Lancashire with another strong performance as Albion aim to complete three home wins against the top three teams in the division.

“I did it before when I was dropped,” he said. “I played well against Leicester and Millwall.

“Maybe it gives you a kick up the backside. He (Adams) has done it to a few of us now and everyone has come back and done well. It keeps us on our toes but it’s nothing to get down about.

“I enjoyed the second half at Oldham, putting my head in to clear balls and getting tackles in. Hopefully I can put another good performance in now to keep my place.”