Albion were unchanged as they vied to continue their fine recent form at Withdean against lowly York this weekend.

There was no place again for transfer-listed goalkeeper Mark Cartwright or front man Darren Freeman.

The fans had little to get excited about in a quiet opening.

There were one or two nice touches by Zamora, who had one of his least effective games against Blackpool, but it was York who had the first shot on goal.

Bullock's angled drive in the seventh minute from Nogan's pass tested Kuipers at his near post.

The Dutchman got his body behind it before retrieving the ball at the second attempt from the onrushing Bullock.

Hart, recalled to the right flank against Blackpool at the expense of Freeman, was cautioned for a foul on Bower midway inside the York half.

Thompson had his name taken for the visitors a minute later for an untidy challenge from behind on Jones close to the dugouts.

The opening 20 minutes were uninspiring from Albion but satisfactory for York, considering their perilous position.

The fans' frustration increased when referee Jones stopped play for treatment to Nogan as Albion tried to launch an attack from inside their own half.

The Seagulls had not been much of a threat going forward so far, although a dangerous cross by Hart had to be headed clear by the York defence.

Fettis then almost made a mess of Mayo's long throw, under pressure from Crosby and Hart, before gathering at the second attempt.

Jones churned up two large divots on the repaired pitch just inside the York half as he was challenged.

Referee Jones and Zamora had to stamp the turf back into place before play could continue.

Kuipers had to be off his line smartly to save at Emmerson's feet as he threatened to latch on to Nogan's through ball.

York continued to look the livelier side, a corner count of 6-1 illustrating their grip on the game.

Adams, evidently dissatisfied by what he was seeing, made a substitution on 36 minutes.

Mayo was withdrawn, Brooker coming on down the left and Jones reverting to left back.

Oatway was lectured following a messy tussle in front of the York dugout which left Emmerson requiring treatment and angered a couple of his team mates.

Albion needed a lift and Brooker almost provided it within six minutes of his introduction.

Zamora slipped him through the middle of the York defence with a slide-rule pass.

The former Fulham man got his shot away as Hocking challenged, and Fettis pushed it over the bar.

Brooker's arrival livened Albion up just as Adams would have wished.

He posed York more problems in the final nine minutes of the half than they had encountered in the previous 36 when he was sitting on the bench.

Albion ended the half in the ascendancy, Bower charging down Brooker's piledriver from outside the box following a Watson corner.

York made a change for the second half, Alcide coming on in place of Thompson.

Hart was walking a disciplinary tightrope after his early caution. He was penalised for a foul on Jones as he tried to burrow his way through the heart of the York defence.

Referee Jones had a quiet word with the Albion winger as he ran past him before play resumed.

It was Hart who made the breakthrough for the Seagulls ten minutes into the restart.

His initial shot from Crosby's low cross was blocked by a combination of Hocking and Jones.

But Hart reacted swiftly to rifle the rebound left-footed by Fettis from 12 yards.

It was Hart's seventh goal of the season, lifting him to second in the scoring charts behind Zamora, and his first at Withdean this year.

Just as it seemed Albion had assumed control, York grabbed an equaliser through their captain Agnew on 68 minutes.

The balding midfielder, latching on to a cross from the left by Hall, suddenly found himself with time and space to pick his spot from close range.

Adams responded immediately to this shock to the system for his side, bringing on Melton in midfield at the expense of skipper Rogers.

Albion: Michel Kuipers; Paul Watson, Kerry Mayo, Danny Cullip, Andy Crosby, Paul Rogers, Gary Hart, Charlie Oatway, Richard Carpenter, Nathan Jones, Bobby Zamora. Subs: Brooker, Steele, Ramsay, Melton, Virgo.

York City: Alan Fettis; Barry Jones, Mark Bower, Steve Agnew, Lee Bullock, Wayne Hall, Matt Hocking, Lee Nogan, Marc Thompson, Nick Richardson, Scott Emmerson. Subs: Howarth, Alcide, McNiven, Wood, Darlow.

Referee: Mr. M. Jones (Cheshire).