Young Chris McPhee stole the show as Albion Reserves coasted to an easy 3-0 win at Northampton yesterday.

McPhee's late penalty rounded off a comprehensive win in the Combination tussle, following first half strikes from skipper Steve Melton and Dirk Lehmann.

An experienced Seagulls side proved too strong for a youthful home outfit, fielding just one player aged over 21.

New signing David Lee made his first start in a Seagulls shirt and put in a full 90 minutes work, being tried out on the right and in central midfield as well as up front.

Albion dominated from the start, McPhee hitting the Northampton post after only 40 seconds, but they had to wait until the 18th minute to take the lead with McPhee again featuring strongly. The striker was sent free down the right wing by a lovely pass from Geoff Pitcher before cutting inside defender Bobby White and then laying a neat pass into the path of Melton, who swept the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Front man Derek Asamoah, scorer against Albion's first team when the Cobblers won 2-0 on the same ground in division two in August, dragged a shot wide on a rare foray into Seagulls territory and it wasn't long before the visitors doubled their advantage on 35 minutes.

The man on target was Lehmann who squeezed a left foot shot through goalkeeper Mark Bunn's legs after a deep cross by Lee had somehow found its way to the far post.

Northampton made much more of a fight of it in the second-half, but Will Packham was never seriously tested.

The impressive McPhee should have made it 3-0 on 72 minutes but he slotted his finish wide of the goal after being sent clear by a delightful Pitcher through ball.

At the other end Dean Cracknell rattled Packham's right-hand post with a 20-yard drive.

Seagulls substitute Daniel Beck was a whisker wide with an 18-yard strike six minutes from time, the opportunity created by a neat Lee back-flick, but Brighton were handed a third goal in injury-time.

Stefan Wojciechowski had his ankle clipped in the penalty area and McPhee stepped up to drill the ball past Bunn for a goal his performance deserved.

Albion: Packham, Pethick (sub Hinshelwood 46), Jackson, Virgo, Hemsley, Melton, Pitcher, Hammond (sub Wojciechowski 46), Lehmann (sub Beck 65), McPhee, Lee. Unused subs: Greatwich, Bartholomew. Goals: Melton (18 mins), Lehmann (35 mins), McPhee - pen (90 mins)