Darren Freeman will be an important player for Albion this season.

Just how important is emphasised by Micky Adams' desire to have him available for the start, despite his double hernia.

The Seagulls undeniably have a stronger squad this time. Inevitably though that strength is greater in certain areas than others.

Freeman has been earmarked for the right-wing role. With Paul Brooker raiding down the left it gives Albion balance within the 4-4-2 formation Adams is favouring.

Adams will be without Freeman for around a month at some stage and that could present him with a problem.

On Saturday in a highly satisfactory victory over a disappointing Sheffield Wednesday, Charlie Oatway started on the right.

Oatway's many qualities do not, with the best will in the world, fit the mould of a supplier from wide positions for the front men. He was understandably drawn into more familiar territory in the opening 45 minutes, frequently joining Richard Carpenter and Paul Rogers in the central midfield areas in which his tenacity thrives.

Freeman's postponed operation might just throw a lifeline to the out-of-favour Rod Thomas.

He finished the match on the right flank after Adams made wholesale changes. They included switching Freeman, one of three interval introductions, into the orthodox striking position he prefers and he duly sealed the result for the Seagulls with a header late on.

Freeman and Gary Hart were Albion's front pair for the lion's share of last season. The signing of Lee Steele has broken up that partnership and during the summer Hart has become a father for the first time.

The sleepless nights he must have endured following the arrival of daughter Chloe have done nothing to dent his sharpness.

Hart kept Des Walker on his toes and the former England central defender was nowhere to be seen when he stroked the Seagulls into a 52nd minute lead.

Oatway's combative contributions tend to mask the fact that he can play as well. It was his through ball which sent Hart sprinting clear before the coolest of finishes, calmly curving the ball wide of an exposed Kevin Pressman's left hand.

Adams introduced another new face on Saturday, albeit on a trial basis.

Wrexham's former Welsh under-21 international goalkeeper Mark Cartwright, having played in a 5-1 win for a strong Albion XI at Selsey the night before, replaced Michels Kuipers after the break.

Kuipers, who looked "competent" according to Adams, excelled in keeping out a free kick from set piece specialist Andy Hinchcliffe. The Dutchman did well for a big man to get down low to his left and push the ex-England full-back's effort for a corner.

Cartwright, training with Exeter for the past month, did well to keep out shots by Richard Cresswell, Adam Muller and Andy Booth early in the second half.

Goal Hart's goal arrived ironically just as Wednesday were threatening to exploit the extra spaces on offer from a retreating Albion rearguard.

Adams made no fewer than six simultaneous substitutions with 20 minutes remaining including Scott Ramsay, fresh from a hat-trick at Selsey, and rookie centre half Adam Virgo.

Another, the tenth in all, was forced upon him by Lewes referee Steve Tomlin. Darren Carr, a half-time replacement for Andy Crosby, was involved in a couple of incidents with Booth and Cresswell. Tomlin indicated that Albion's rugged centre half should be withdrawn, so Danny Cullip came back on.

Freeman rounded things off nicely four minutes from time with a simple header at the far post from Brooker's cross which Pressman failed to cut out.

Both managers were quick to point out that pre-season results are pretty meaningless, although there was no doubting which of them had more reason for doing so.

Paul Jewell has a tough job on his hands at Hillsborough on this evidence, even allowing for a makeshift lineup and the absences of Wim Jonk and Gilles de Bilde due to minor knocks.

Adams said: "It's always pleasing to beat a team from a higher division, but pre-season results mean nothing. Everybody places great importance on them, particularly the fans, but it's just a matter of getting players fit.

"The Sheffield Wednesday players looked like mine did at Hastings last week. It's difficult to motivate people for pre-season friendlies, although supporters won't understand that. Every time you pull on a blue and white shirt they expect you to die for the cause.

"Certainly I would expect us to pick the tempo up for the Southend game on Saturday and we will be ready for them."

A year ago Hart and Freeman were also on the scoresheet when Albion drew with Nottingham Forest, like Sheffield relegated from the Premiership, in the first match at Withdean.

The house full signs were up that day. There were plenty of empty seats on Saturday, but the crowd was still a healthy 4,000 and you sense the optimism about the Seagulls' chances carries more substance this time than the passionate emotions aroused by the home-coming.

As for Wednesday, they might just find life in the First Division as tough as Forest did.

Albion: Kuipers, Watson, Mayo, Carpenter, Cullip, Crosby, Rogers, Oatway, Steele, Hart, Brooker. Subs: Freeman (for Rogers 45), Ramsay (for Hart 69), Jones (for Mayo 69), Aspinall (for Carpenter 69), Carr (for Crosby 45), Melton (for Oatway 69), Thomas (for Steele 69), Virgo (for Cullip 69), Cartwright (for Kuipers 45), Cullip (for Carr 82).

Sheffield Wednesday: Pressman, Haslam, Hinchcliffe, Donnelly, Hutton, Walker, Cresswell, Sibon, Booth, Muller, Quinn. Subs: Stringer, Nicholson (for Hinchcliffe 45), Hamshaw (for Muller 61), Humphreys (for Donnelly 58).

Attendance: 4,004.