Albion veteran Dave Beasant is facing a shut-out showdown with one of his best pals to decide the last day drama of the First Division survival fight.

Beasant bids for his sixth clean sheet in 14 games as the Seagulls go for the victory they require at relegated Grimsby on Sunday to keep their hopes alive.

It will count for nothing if Mark Crossley, his former rival for the No.1 shirt at Nottingham Forest, simultaneously follows suit to earn Stoke the point they need at home to Reading in his last match on loan from Middlesbrough.

"I know Mark very well," Beasant said. "We're good friends. I had two very good years with him at Nottingham Forest and we keep in touch with each other. We have had a few words on the phone over the past couple of weeks!

"I went there originally for a loan period when he hurt his back. The month became two months and then three and I ended up signing for two years under Dave Bassett.

"I was fortunate to keep him out of the team when he was fit and then he ended up leaving under Dave Platt and going to Middlesbrough, which was a good move for him.

"It's ironic two good friends are competing to keep their teams up, although 'Norm' as he is known to me for reasons I cannot tell will be going back to Middlesbrough.

"Since he's been there Stoke's fortunes have turned around and I don't think that's any coincidence.

"I can keep a clean sheet on my side of it and still go down. We were in a situation where it was in our hands when we played Preston and Sheffield Wednesday and now we know it's out of our hands.

"But the lads have done so well to give themselves this chance after the horrendous start they had.

"We are still there. We've got to make sure we do our job and see what happens elsewhere. We can do no more than get our victory, that's our target."

Beasant, who experienced a last day escape in the top flight with Southampton, revived his career ten years ago with a successful loan spell at Grimsby from Chelsea.

"I only really went their because of the fixtures Alan Buckley told me they had for the month," he said. "They were all tough games.

"My first was away to Newcastle. They had won 12 straight at the beginning of the season when Kevin Keegan was there, but we went there and beat them 1-0.

"At the end of the month we were unbeaten and had gone from 18th in the League to sixth.

"I enjoyed my time at Grimsby and when ever I go up there the fans always give me a good response.

"Maybe in different circumstances I might even have stayed there, but I felt I had a point to prove at Chelsea.

"It was a difficult period with the manager Ian Porterfield. He made it clear I wouldn't play while he was manager. I always said I'd see him off and that's what happened."

Not many players have as many years behind them as their team has points by the end of the season but Beasant, 44, for all his experience admits he will still be feeling the tension at Blundell Park.

"I will be nervous, I think you have got to be," he said. "If you are not you err on the side of complacency. No matter how many games I've played I get those butterfly feelings.

"It's a game which people, on our form and theirs, are expecting us to win, but they are going to be in a relaxed mood because they are already relegated.

"When I was relegated with Nottingham Forest we couldn't buy a win during the season. Once we were down and the fear factor and pressure had gone we won our last three games of the season."

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