Albion's hopes of making Leon Knight's loan move from Chelsea permanent are hanging in the balance.

The Seagulls are embroiled in a straight fight with Second Division rivals Queens Park Rangers to sign the free-scoring striker.

Knight had talks with Rangers chief Ian Holloway yesterday after scoring both goals against them in Albion's 2-1 win at Withdean on Monday night.

Albion boss Steve Coppell has spoken to Knight's agent, former Spurs defender Mitchell Thomas, since then and Coppell revealed to The Argus last night: "The news is inconclusive.

"From our point of view we have just got to keep plugging away and negotiating. I am still hopeful of it happening but there is no way I can guarantee it."

Meanwhile, Kerry Mayo has defended his role in the red card row with Terrell Forbes of Queens Park Rangers.

Forbes was sent-off in the second half of Monday's win ffor head-butting Mayo. The former West Ham fullback retaliated after a tackle for which Mayo was booked.

Several of Forbes' team-mates protested that Mayo over-reacted by going down, even though he needed two stitches in a cut above his left eye.

Mayo, speaking for the first time about the flashpoint, said: "To be fair I deserved to be booked for the tackle, although I was genuinely going for the ball.

"I watched it on TV and he kicked out at me before he got up and head-butted me.

"I wasn't going to go down, hence the delay, but you can't head-butt people and get away with it. That is the reason why I went down.

"You can say I over-reacted or what you like, but if he had head-butted me and I had stood up the ball was five yards away, the ref could have had his eyes on the ball and it might not have been seen.

"If you are going to get head-butted you have got to go down, it's as simple as that.

"None of our players here would lash out like that, it's just unprofessional. It was as clear as day on the video and he won't get away with that."

Mayo's fellow fullback Paul Watson is suffering from sore arches as Albion prepare for a Bank Holiday double header at Barnsley on Saturday and at home to Luton next Monday.

Boss Steve Coppell revealed: "He has been complaining about it right from the start of pre-season. It's not footwear, a change of boots or anything, it's just something that has come on."