Ben Roberts faced a baptism of fire for Albion against leaders Portsmouth at Withdean today.

The Charlton goalkeeper made his debut for the rock-bottom Seagulls in the south coast showdown.

Roberts, signed on a month's loan to cover for the injured Michel Kuipers, was the only change to the team knocked out of the FA Cup at Norwich on Tuesday.

Kuipers tore a thigh muscle in the first half of that 3-1 defeat and will be out for up to eight weeks.

Roberts, 27, has plenty of experience. He played in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea during eight seasons with Middlesborough.

Ironically, his previous League start was at Withdean 11 months ago while on loan to Reading.

Charlie Oatway continued in midfield following Steve Sidwell's departure to Reading.

Boss Steve Coppell is trying to sign Curtis Woodhouse on loan from Birmingham for three months to replace Sidwell, but Albion face competition from Rotherham and a First Division club in the Midlands.

Graham Barrett, who is thinking over a permanent move to Preston from Arsenal, was in the attack alongside Bobby Zamora.

Barrett had a score to settle. He was sent off on his debut for the Seagulls in the 4-2 defeat at Portsmouth in August.

The Albion substitutes included Paul Kitson, returning from a rib injury, and Gary Hart after his recovery from a bout of flu.

Portsmouth made a couple of changes to the side beaten 2-1 at home by Sheffield United on Monday.

Efstathios Tavlaridis, on a month's loan from Arsenal, made his full League debut at the back in place of the injured Gianluca Festa.

Lassina Diabate, from the Ivory Coast, took over in midfield from Gary O'Neil.

Matt Messias, the referee from York, must have brought a wry smile to Zamora's face. He allowed a hotly disputed goal by the Seagulls' top scorer to stand at Chesterfield a year ago.

Albion went into their first home clash against Pompey for 11 years boosted by last night's 3-1 defeat for next-to-bottom Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City Derby at Sheffield United.

That victory for third-placed United simultaneously increased the pressure on Portsmouth.

Their 756 fans were shoe-horned into the north-east corner of the ground, a stark contrast to the thousands that travelled to Old Trafford for Pompey's previous away outing at Manchester United in the FA Cup.

The restrictions at Withdean meant the match was beamed back to Fratton Park on a giant screen.

Albion: Ben Roberts; Paul Watson, Kerry Mayo, Danny Cullip, Charlie Oatway, Paul Brooker, Richard Carpenter, Robbie Pethick, Nathan Jones, Bobby Zamora, Graham Barrett. Subs. Blackwell, Hart, Packham, Kitson, Piercey.

Portsmsouth: Shaka Hislop, Hayden Foxe, Svetoslav Todorov, Paul Merson, Nigel Quashie, Lassina Diabate, Matthew Taylor, Vincent Pericard, Steve Stone, Efstathios Tavlaridis, Linvoy Primus. Subs: Crowe, Harper, Yakubu, Kawaguchi, Burton.

Referee: Mr M Messias (York).