Paul Brooker could just turn out to be Albion's secret weapon in the First Division.

The talented winger played a leading role again as the Seagulls completed their pre-season preparations with an encouraging victory.

Brooker scored the first and created the second in an accomplished display which erased the memory of that ugly 4-2 defeat at Cheltenham four days earlier.

Wide men are not renowned for consistency, so it was good to see Brooker produce back-to-back peformances after shining at Cheltenham.

He will be an unknown quantity for Division One fullbacks. The closest he has come to playing at that level was as an unused sub with former club Fulham.

Boss Martin Hinshelwood said: "We have got a lot of bright footballers and Bozzy is one of them.

"He wants an arm around him now and again, but when he is going forward the kid is unstoppable. I am pleased he scored and overall I was pleased."

Hinshelwood was entitled to be, because there were several other pluses.

Bobby Zamora's comeback from minor groin surgery went without a hitch, Robbie Pethick demonstrated he can be an adequate deputy at centre back if the need arises and Albion have not lost the art of playing 4-3-3 after all.

Zamora was only going to play for one half but in fact lasted almost an hour.

His movement up front was as impressive as ever and his quick-thinking enabled Brooker to open the scoring three minutes before half time.

Zamora's smartly taken free-kick caught the Bournemouth defence with their pants down.

They looked in vain towards the linesman for an offside flag as Brooker clipped a right-foot shot over keeper Gareth Stewart.

Brooker likes the Fitness First Stadium. He struck a spectacular equaliser when the teams, now two divisions apart, met in the League towards the end of last season.

It is no secret that Hinshelwood wants an experienced centre half to accompany commanding captain Danny Cullip.

The search goes on after Gillingham's Guy Butters turned Albion down, but at least Hinshelwood has Butters' former Portsmouth team-mate Robbie Pethick to fall back on.

"Robbie can play there," he said. "His worst thing is that he goes a little bit all over the place at times, so Danny has to punch him!

"We have played different people in there pre-season to have a look. I know what we want to come into the club, but if they are not available I am not going to bring people in if I don't think they are right.

"It's important that people can play in certain different areas, as they have done during pre-season, and we coped with it."

The versatile Pethick first served notice that he can do a job at centre half when replacing the injured Simon Morgan at Chesterfield last season.

He lacks the stature and defensive discipline of a natural stopper, but he is comfortable in possession with a good range of passing.

Pethick, believe it or not, also became Albion's top pre-season scorer with a clinching penalty after 78 minutes, his second in successive matches and fifth goal of the friendly programme.

It was awarded by Lewes fireman Steve Tomlin when Zamora's replacement Shaun Wilkinson was blatantly brought down by Neil Young after incisive approach work by Brooker and Steve Melton.

The Seagulls went close on other occasions. Brooker and Paul Watson narrowly missed the target from long range in the first half, when Zamora also had an effort smothered by Stewart.

Midway through the second Wilkinson was just unable to convert a knee-high cross by Brooker, prompted by Melton's raking crossfield pass.

Andy Petterson had few alarms in keeping his second clean sheet in three appearances, although late substitute Chukki Eribenne thundered a 20-yarder against the crossbar.

The cheers for Chukki from Cherries fans were born of sarcasm, not enthusiasm. His only goal for the club came on his debut two years ago.

Gary Hart had his longest run-out yet following his broken leg, lasting until the 81st minute.

Hinshelwood, a disciple of 4-4-2, is persevering with the 4-3-3 system used regularly last season by his predecessor Peter Taylor because he feels it is better suited to the players presently at his disposal.

Saturday's line-up will not be far off the one which takes the field against Burnley, depending on new signings and the fitness of Michel Kuipers and Nathan Jones.

Hinshelwood said: "We knew Bournemouth would want to play. Sean (O'Driscoll) has got them playing football and we will be facing a lot of that this season in the First Division, so it was a good test for us.

"It was nice to win, but next Saturday is the main thing."

Turf Moor will obviously be a much tougher test. At least Albion make the journey on the back of a confidence-restoring performance and win.

Albion: Petterson; Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Melton, Hart, Oatway, Brooker, Carpenter, Pethick, Zamora. Subs: Marney for Hart (81), Rogers, Harding for Mayo (79), Packham, Wilkinson for Zamora (59), A. Hinshelwood for Pethick (90).

Bournemouth: Stewart; Young, Purches, Feeney, Maher, Elliott, O'Connor, Hayter, Tindall, Broadhurst, Browning. Subs: Fletcher for Browning (74), Stock for Broadhurst (57), Eribenne for Hayter (82), Narada, Holmes for Elliott (66), Connell for Feeney (82), Foyewa, Thomas, Bloomfield, Evans for Stewart (46).

Referee: Mr S. Tomlin (Lewes).

Attendance: 2,118.

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