Albion's injury-plagued striker Paul Kitson came through a whole game for the reserves as he continued his lengthy recovery in a 1-1 draw at Oxford.

Kitson, who has not played for the first team since January following a series of injuries, looked well short of match fitness, but did at least manage to get through the 90 minutes.

Michel Kuipers, however, lasted just 45 minutes on his return to action.

The Dutch goalkeeper, out since January with a thigh injury, looked uncomfortable throughout the first half of yesterday's Avon Insurance Combination match.

Struggling with his kicking from the off and with the injury getting noticeably worse as the game progressed, it came as no surprise when Kuipers was replaced by Will Packham at half-time.

Oxford took a deserved lead when pacy winger Chris Hackett pounced on a Kitson error to sprint clear and feed Dexter Blackstock, who fired under the body of Kuipers in the 23rd minute.

Albion looked a yard off the pace early on, with only Shaun Wilkinson's weak effort giving Oxford keeper Simon Cox anything to worry about.

As the visitors' frustration grew, Adam Virgo, John Piercy and Nathan Jones were all booked for fouls on Oxford's Dean Whitehead.

Albion started to come into the game after the break.

Kitson's fierce shot cannoned back off a post and Wilkinson's follow-up was somehow tipped over the bar by Cox.

The Seagulls drew level in the 66th minute when Piercy's right foot shot took a deflection off Rob Lovegrove.

Piercy went close with a quickly-taken free kick a minute later and Kitson's shot was saved.

It was the home side who thought they had won it when Blackstock headed home a Gavin Strachan free kick, only for the referee to blow for a foul on Virgo.

Albion Res: Kuipers (sub Packham 45), Rogers (sub El-Abd 45), Jones, Hinshelwood, Virgo, Harding, Marney, Piercy, Kitson, McPhee (sub Beck 77), Wilkinson. Unused sub: Lee.