Albion assistant Bob Booker has warned his under pressure predecessor to expect no favours.

Cardiff's Alan Cork is desperate to defeat the table-topping Seagulls at Ninian Park tomorrow to silence mounting criticism from fans.

But Booker says there is no room for sentiment in football. "All we have got to do is worry about our own ship," he declared.

"It's not about how Cardiff are doing. We are just trying to approach it like any other game.

"We cannot compete with them financially or in terms of squad size. We have only got 22 or 23 players, but they are all fiercely committed to the cause.

"We are pleased with they way they are performing and I am sure they will want to keep it going."

Boss Micky Adams maintained his self-imposed gag yesterday. He sidestepped interviews after Tuesday's controversial 1-1 draw at Wycombe to avoid talking himself into trouble about the ref.

This time his concern is not to stoke up the head-to-head against his former No. 2 and closest friend in the game. Adams was Cork's best man at his summer wedding and they speak every day on the phone.

Graham Kavanagh, Cardiff's £1 million midfield buy from Stoke, revealed: "The gaffer is desperate to win this game to put one over his old mate.

"He knows a lot of the Brighton players and he said a week or so ago this is one we have to win. After a couple of disappointing results it has become even more important for us."

Big-spending Cardiff have lost three of their last four League games, so Cork can ill-afford consecutive home defeats after 27 games without one.

One fan stood on the steps of the team coach at Loftus Road on Tuesday and called for owner Sam Hammam to dismiss him following the 2-1 reverse at QPR.

"The pressure does not worry me," Cork insisted. "If we were playing badly I would be worried. But I'm no fool. The buck stops with the chairman and me and if results go wrong the first person the fans are going to go for is me."

Tomorrow's ref Mark Warren booked eight players, including former Cardiff target Bobby Zamora and Cardiff old boy Charlie Oatway, when he last took charge of Albion in a 1-0 win at Torquay in February.