ALBION new boy Lawrence Davies has pledged to put pressure on the 20-goal strike partnership of Richard Barker and Gary Hart.

Davies will be on the bench for tomorrow's home game against Exeter.

But the 21-year-old Welshman, signed for the rest of the season on a free transfer from Bradford City, said: "I have come here as a centre forward who can score goals. I will do the best I can and hopefully force my way into the side."

The arrival of Davies increases the options for boss Jeff Wood. The Seagulls have been short of back-up firepower, with Jamie Moralee the only obvious replacement for Barker or Hart.

"Lawrence has been brought in to make more competition for places and improve the quality in depth we have already got," said Wood.

Albion, bidding to complete a hat-trick of victories at the Priestfield Stadium for the first time, welcome back influential midfielder Jeff Minton from an ankle injury. Stuart Storer has recovered from the groin problem which kept him out of the draw at Swansea and he is likely to join Davies on the bench against his old club.

Wood is unbeaten in three matches, two of them as caretaker. He is keen to extend the run against the team he kept goal for 33 times in the old Fourth Division in the 1984-85 season.

"They had just been relegated, Gerry Francis had been there as player-manager the year before and the club was a little bit of a shambles," he revealed. "I went there after coming back from Hong Kong. I enjoyed it, but I left before the end of the season to return to Finland."

Wood has been a much better traveller than Exeter. They have won only once in 36 away matches in all competitions.

"I saw them at Chester last Saturday and it wasn't the best game I've seen this season," said Wood. "But it won't be an easy match for us. There is no such thing in this League.

"It's been a great start for me. The players have been absolutely tremendous and now we have got to take on a great point for us at Swansea into this game."

Albion (from): Walton; Bennett, Sturgess, Minton, Johnson, Allan, Armstrong, Arnott, Hart, Barker, Culverhouse, Davies, Storer, Mayo, Moralee, Ansah, Hobson.

Exeter (from): Bayes; Richardson, Baddeley, Gittens, Gale, Fry, Rees, Holloway, Gardner, Quailey, Flack, Power, Clark, Curran, Wilkinson, Rowbotham.

Swansea have fined striker Julian Alsop for refusing to leave the pitch after his red card against Albion.

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