The Albion players, to their credit, have consistently refused to use it as an excuse, but Sammy McIlroy spoke the truth which is plain for all to see.

The managerial uncertainty created by Steve Coppell's departure to Reading has had a devastatating impact on Albion's performances.

McIlroy, celebrating his first victory in charge of Stockport, said: "I think everyone is waiting to see who the Brighton manager is going to be.

"Big Bob (Booker) is a lovely man and he has done his best, but every time the players pick up a paper it's who is it going to be?

"I think the sooner Brighton make a decision the club will settle down again. It is playing on the players' minds, there is no doubt about that."

That is the difference. Nothing has altered in the way they train or prepare for matches. Booker has kept the formula exactly the same, but the mindset has changed.

How else do you explain it? The same group of players were top of the table after taking 16 points out of 18.

During that sequence 12 goals were scored and just one conceded.

Suddenly they have suffered three straight defeats, leaked six goals and scored none, culminating in their first reverse at Withdean since Preston won in April.

Booker admitted: "Possibly the uncertainty has played on the players' minds. When you see them on a day-to -day basis I would say no, on performances yes.

"It has been a difficult time for everybody at the club and it possibly is hard for the players with the amount of managers they've had to work under, but they live to fight another day."

Indeed they do and still, amazingly, in second place. Pacesetters Plymouth were the only team in the top nine at the start of play to win on Saturday.

Albion are still in the promotion hunt and the appointment of a new manager will, hopefully, give their season renewed impetus.

Guy Butters, who had another steady game in the centre of defence, said: "Sometimes it can give the lads a fresh challenge.

"They want to do well for the new manager, they want to prove themselves and sometimes that brings the best out of players."

Sometimes yes, not always. An immediate recovery should not be taken for granted.

The new manager faces a tricky start at Peterborough on Saturday then at Lincoln in the FA Cup, with the relative trivia of the LDV Vans Trophy at home to Boston in-between.

Coppell's first two matches were thumping defeats and McIlroy arrived at Withdean with only a point from his opening two games, both at home.

Another point from a dour deadlock looked the likely outcome for the former Northern Ireland manager until the lanky Aaron Wilbraham linked up with fellow trainee Andy Welsh to settle the match with 11 minutes left.

Kerry Mayo was caught out by Welsh, who had switched wings from the left.

His low cross was side-footed in from close range by Wilbraham, justifying McIlroy's decision to stick with him and drop top scorer Stuart Barlow.

It was a poor way for Albion to let in their first goal at Withdean for nearly ten hours.

Booker said: "I told the players to keep their discipline, otherwise we might get done by a sucker punch, and that is the way it panned out.

"We should have done better with our defending down the left side for the goal. If you defend properly people don't get crosses in."

The warning signs were there in the second half. Michel Kuipers had to make a flying save from the innovative Owen Morrison and Rickie Lambert was a whisker away from long range.

Albion's threat in a dire opening 45 minutes came from Butters' aerial power from nine corners.

The industrious Chris McPhee came closest to ending the drought with a twisting half-volley early in the second half which forced James Spencer, Stockport's lofty young custodian, into a diving tip over.

Leon Knight did not have a sniff of one on Saturday with John Hardiker a model of composure in the centre of defence for County and Matt Heath making a sound debut on loan from Leicester in place of long throwing captain Dave Challinor.

Knight thankfully walked off, rather than having to be carried off, near the end after a sickening clash of heads with Heath.

He was groggy and so at the moment are Albion and the unfortunate Booker who withdrew from the managerial race ahead of the match.

"The chairman has been a fair man to me and I would like to think I've cleared the path for him," Booker said. "It probably would have been difficult for him to have to pull me aside and say I haven't got the job. In that respect I'm glad I've made it a little bit easier for him."

ALBION (4-4-2): Kuipers (gk) 7; Watson (rb) 7, Mayo (lb) 6, Cullip (cd) 7, Knight (f) 7, Hart (rm) 7, Carpenter (cm) 7, Butters (cd) 8, Jones (lm) 7, McPhee (f) 7, Rehman (cm) 7. Subs: Wilkinson for Knight (injured 85), Piercy for Jones (withdrawn 81), Hinshelwood, Harding, Flitney.

Bookings: Hart (65) foul.

STOCKPORT (4-4-2): Spencer; Clare, Heath, Wilbraham, Lambert, Pemberton, Goodwin, Daly, Hardiker, Welsh, Morrison. Subs: Challinor, Lescott, Jones, Barlow for Daly (withdrawn 89), Colgan.

Scorers: Wilbraham (79).

Bookings: Hardiker (65) unsporting behaviour.

Half-Time: Albion 0 Stockport 0.

Attendance: 6,171.

Fan's View: Kelly seacombe, aged 14, (Worthing).

Brighton played poorly and I am surprised that we are still second in the division as we have lost three on the trot.

I really felt that going into this match we would win as the team had already been defeated two games running and everyone expected a big improvement.

Stockport were very average, but they outplayed us in the second half. To score goals Leon Knight needs the ball along the floor not hoofed up in the air.

I think Brighton can win on Saturday at Peterbough but they have to pick up on their game a lot.

We need a good manger and we need one fast.

There are not so many managers out there with proven records so we will be taking a chance this time around. My pick is Iain Dowie.