Albion suffered their fourth defeat in seven matches as Leicester manager Micky Adams made a triumphant return to his old club.

A lapse of concentration cost Steve Coppell's Seagulls dear in the 73rd minute, the unmarked Brian Deane heading home a free-kick from Alan Rogers.

Albion could have no complaints about the result. Paul Dickov hit a post in the first half for the dominant visitors and they spent most of the game on the back foot.

The kick-off had to be put back 15 minutes to 8 o'clock because several Leicester supporters coaches were caught in traffic conjestion on the M25.

Adams made an interesting tactical adjustment against his old club from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3, with Deane, Dickov and Scowcroft forming a three pronged attack.

The diminutive Dickov, who had a loan stint with Albion during the reign of Liam Brady, had a snapshot from inside the area in the second minute.

Kuipers was equal to the task, saving low down on a surface made greasy by persistent rain.

Kuipers was required again a few minutes later, diving to his left to grab Deane's far post header from a Scowcroft centre.

Albion are not the biggest of teams. Leicester towered above them in most areas of the pitch and Deane looked particularly menacing with his aerial strength.

Izzet, the Foxes' talented Turkish midfielder, collected his ninth caution of the campaign in the 12th minute for a foul on Jones in front of the Leicester dugout.

Albion were given a chance to put some pressure on the visitors when Zamora, showing neat control with his back to goal from Kuipers' long clearance, was fouled by Heath.

The resulting free kick 25 yards out was taken quickly by Pethick while Leicester were still organising their wall, but his low drive gave ex-Tottenham custodian Walker a routine save down to his right.

The Seagulls had a double let-off midway through the half. Dickov rounded Kuipers from Scowcroft's slide-rule pass before hitting the far post from an acute angle.

Deane's effort from the rebound was blocked and, with Leicester claiming it had crossed the line, Albion were awarded a relieving free-kick by referee Bates.

Albion were made to look more like the away team with Leicester completely controlling proceedings.

Another opportunity was spurned by Deane when he glanced a header wide at the back post from Scowcroft's right-wing cross.

The Seagulls were defending pretty well, with Cullip particularly prominent, but they were finding it difficult to make any headway going forward.

Heath, continuing to deputise for the injured Gerry Taggart, collected Leicester's second caution of the contest in the 36th minute for a foul on Zamora.

Albion put together an encouraging move when Jones robbed Izzet in midfield and advanced before finding Zamora.

He set up Carpenter for a shot from just outside the box which was blocked by Elliott, the sturdy Scottish international stopper, at the expense of a corner.

The Seagulls threatened again approaching the break as Zamora's control took him away from Izzet from Watson's pass midway inside Leicester territory.

His ensuing pass for the breaking Sidwell forced Walker out to the edge of his area to clear.

Albion ended a testing half for them very much on the ascendancy, with Zamora as ever involved in the majority of their best moments.

A mist had descended by the start of the second half but there was nothing wrong with Kuipers' vision. He safely gathered a 30-yard free-kick from Izzet which was slowed down by a slight deflection off the defensive wall.

Albion asked for a penalty when Watson, latching on to Zamora's pass, went down under a challenge from Impey but referee Bates was having none of it.

The Seagulls came agonisingly close to snatching the lead just beyond the hour mark. Barrett's free-kick, awarded for a foul by Heath on Carpenter, deflected off the defensive wall and just wide of the far post.

At the other end Dickov vainly protested that he was being tugged by Pethick as he lobbed over.

It proved to be the pint-sized striker's last meaningful contribution before he was replaced by Summerbee.

Kuipers made a fine one-handed stop at the foot of a post after Stewart had cut inside to strike a low right-footer.

All Albion's hard work at the back was undone with 17 minutes left as they fell asleep at a set piece.

Deane was left unmarked as he guided in an angled header from Rogers' pinpoint free kick.

The Seagulls responded with a double substitution, Hart coming on for Jones and Brooker for Sidwell.

Elliott wasted a chance to wrap up the points when he headed wide from Izzet's corner on 76 minutes.