John Piercy launched a bid to rebuild his career with Albion last night in an unfamiliar role.

The Eastbourne-based former Spurs player made his debut for the reserves at right back in an astonishing 3-2 victory against Cardiff at Worthing.

Manager Martin Hinshelwood said: "If he comes here he is going to be a midfield or wide player, but we are just having a look at him for a couple of weeks. He needs to work on his fitness."

Piercy, 22, made one Premier League start and seven substitute appearances for Spurs against the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Sunderland.

Hinshelwood added: "He was on a week-to-week and I think he'd had enough there, so they sorted out his contract and he was released.

"He wants to play and he knows he has perhaps got to go down the ladder a bit."

Piercy switched to the centre of the park in an amazing second half fightback by Albion, after a recurrence of heel trouble forced off Geoff Pitcher.

The Seagulls, trailing 2-0 at the break, won with three goals in the space of four minutes.

David Lee halved the arrears on 62 minutes with an exquisite right foot shot from 20 yards.

Nathan Jones, playing at left back, levelled three minutes later with a cute free kick from similar range and Chris McPhee cashed in on a defensive lapse to ram home the winner within another minute.

Both Cardiff goals were beauties as well, a dipping 30-yard volley by Ryan Green in the 19th minute and a 20-yard chip by Leyton Maxwell (32).

Lennie Lawrence, Cardiff's Brighton-born boss, was in the sparse crowd at Woodside Road after spending the afternoon at the races.

Albion were unable to get international clearance to play Dutch trialist Ousmanne Sanou.

Albion Reserves: Packham; Piercy, Jones, Virgo, Mayo, Hammond, Pitcher, Rogers, Lee, McPhee, Beck. Subs: Greatwich (for Beck 75), May, El-Abd (for Pitcher 46), Bartholomew, Breach.

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