Albion are going under cover at their own expense with a pitch surveillance operation to protect their promotion challenge.

The Seagulls are footing the bill for portable covers to shield the playing surface at Withdean from plummeting temperatures.

The cost will run into thousands of pounds, but Albion believe the investment is worthwhile to avoid a potentially damaging fixture pile-up.

The covers, supplied by a Northampton-based company, are due to arrive today. They are designed specifically to guard against frost and will be used in the lead-up to Friday night's crunch clash against Chesterfield.

Albion are hiring them for at least the next fortnight in a bid to guarantee the New Year's Day fixture against Northampton also goes ahead.

The same covers were provided free of charge for the Sky televised FA Cup tie against Rushden and Diamonds.

Martin Burholt, spokesman for Withdean Stadium chiefs Ecovert South, said: "It will be the club bearing the cost this time and it will run into quite a few thousand pounds. It isn't cheap but it should be worth it. The game must go on."

Albion are desperate to avoid further postponements after Friday night's showdown against promotion rivals Reading was frozen off.

That handed Stoke the opportunity to take over from the Seagulls at the top of the Second Division on goal difference.

Chief executive Martin Perry said: "We don't want to drop behind in fixtures. That would be wrong psychologically and we don't want a big fixture pile-up.

"We can hire these covers for as long as we want them. We will monitor the weather and as long as the risk of frost is there we will almost certainly hold on to them. If we get a really serious drop in temperature then nothing is going to prevent the pitch from freezing up, but we have decided we must do everything we possibly can."

Albion lost three matches to waterlogging last winter. They spent £130,000 during the summer on drainage and totally re-turfing the pitch.

Gary Hart is battling to recover from a dead leg for the Chesterfield match. He trained yesterday, but boss Peter Taylor said: "It's still not 100 per cent right. He had to come off a bit before the end, so it's touch and go whether he will be fit."