Albion boss Peter Taylor says his troops will respond to their biggest League defeat of the season in tomorrow's FA Cup clash with Preston.

Saturday's 3-0 setback at improving Wigan was the first time the Seagulls have lost in 12 League matches under Taylor.

He said: "It was our fourth game out of five away and we've won one, drawn two and lost one which isn't drastic, but the players were very disappointed with the performance apart from the first ten minutes.

"They've had a tremendous run and they should be proud of it. They will bounce back.

"It's very easy when you are winning every week. It's when you lose and the players get disappointed that you have to work a touch harder, but we will do that.

"I just want the players to put in a good performance against Preston. It would be great to get a result and get a bit of pride back, although the League is the most important thing."

An Andy Liddell hat-trick stretched Wigan's undefeated League run to 11, but Taylor was unhappy with his 19th minute penalty award by ref Peter Walton.

The Seagulls were already trailing 1-0 when Danny Cullip was deemed to have dragged down Lee McCulloch.

"The penalty was very important and I think it was a very poor decision," protested Taylor. "First of all it was offside and secondly to me he wasn't touched and fell over."

Loan keeper Simon Royce was in the wars. He hurt his left foot in a first half challenge by McCulloch, then was dazed after falling heavily over the same player at the start of the second half.

Royce returned to Leicester yesterday to check the extent of the damage. He cannot play tomorrow night in any case, as he is FA Cup tied by the Foxes.

Michel Kuipers tested his pulled thigh muscle before Saturday's match and he expects to be fit to return in goal, although youngster Will Packham remains on standby.

New midfield signing David Lee is also ineligible tomorrow after playing for his former club Hull in the first round of the FA Cup.

The result will determine when the fit-again Gary Hart and Simon Morgan are automatically banned for one match after both received their fifth yellow cards of the campaign at Wigan.

They will miss either a third round replay against Preston on January 26, a fourth round tie at home to Sheffield United on the same date or Cardiff's League visit to Withdean on January 31.

Bristol City won 2-1 at Swindon yesterday to take over second spot from Stoke, who could only manage a 1-1 draw against bottom club Northampton.

More Seagulls stuff at thisisthealbion.co.uk