Micky Adams is ready to gamble and go for broke in the big chase for a play-off place.

He knows a Grand National day victory at lowly Exeter is essential unless other results fall the Seagulls' way.

"We realise to get into the play-offs is going to be very difficult, but we are going for it," Adams pledged. That may mean taking risks and leaving one on one or two on two at the back and if that leaves us a bit open then so be it. Draws are no good to us, we need wins."

Albion were three points off the play-offs before last Saturday's gallant home stalemate against promotion-bound Swansea. The hurdle has risen to six with six games to go and Adams accepts his original target total of 69 is probably too low.

"I think we might need more now. Having said that, some of the other contenders still have to play each other and they cannot both win. We are on a good run, eight undefeated, and we want to carry that on. It is going to be very difficult because we have still got Peterborough at home and Rotherham, who are fighting for the championship."

Exeter need a result for contrasting reasons. They are not quite safe from relegation danger and Adams knows Noel Blake, his old Leeds team-mate, will have the West Country strugglers fired up to thwart an away day hat-trick.

"They are fighting for their lives and they are not out of it yet, although they have enough experience to not be in the situation they are in. At Lincoln and Barnet we never looked like losing, but we won't treat Exeter any differently. We have got to impose ourselves on them and be positive."

Youth team striker Chris McPhee is added to the squad, with Darren Carr ruled out by a calf problem and top scorer Darren Freeman facing a late fitness test on a knee injury.

Exeter (from): Matthews; Gittens, Blake, Curran, Jarman, Power, Rees, Buckle, Rowbotham, Alexander, Flack, Nyamah, Speakman, Potter, Cornforth, Lovell, McConnell.

Albion (from): Walton; Watson, Brooker, Freeman, Rogers, Hart, Oatway, Mayo, Ramsay, Crosby, Cullip, Ling, Aspinall, Thomas, McPherson, McPhee, Campbell, Ormerod.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.