Albion forward Gary Hart faces a fight to regain his first team place.

Manager Micky Adams has stressed that Hart's replacement Lee Steele is now in the driving seat as the Seagulls step up preparations for Saturday's big Withdean sell-out against Queens Park Rangers.

Hart was relegated to the bench by the rejuvenated Steele for last Friday's first defeat of the season at Northampton.

Adams said: "Possession is nine tenths of the law and that will always be the case at this club while I am in charge.

"I pick a side to try and win a football match and that's what I did on Friday."

Adams has already demonstrated his no-nonsense approach to team selection by replacing Kerry Mayo, a regular at leftback in last season's Division Three title triumph, with Nathan Jones.

Now Hart is in the same boat, emphasising the improved strength in depth of the squad assembled by Adams for the Second Division.

Hart could figure in the first home game of the season for the reserves against Swindon at Worthing tomorrow night (7pm).

Albion have a clean bill of health with the exception of reserve central defender Adam Virgo, who hurt an ankle in training last week.

Meanwhile, Adams is even more convinced that the Seagulls should have been awarded two penalties in the 2-0 defeat at Northampton after studying video footage of the match.

"They were as clear as day," he said. "For the second one on Paul Brooker the ref was stood two or three yeards away and with the other one you can clearly see their defender getting hold of Bobby Zamora."

Zamora was booked for diving, raising Albion's yellow card count to 11 in the first five League games.

"The refs had conferences this summer where specific things were highlighted and they are being very vigilant," Adams said.

"Bobby has been booked twice now for alleged dives and in both cases he had opportunities to score, but it will settle down.

"I am not going to slam the refs. They've got a hard enough job already."