Albion manager Micky Adams has defended rival boss Ian Holloway over the haunting sale of Bobby Zamora.

The Seagulls bought their hot-shot from Bristol Rovers 13 months ago for just £100,000.

Holloway was in charge at Rovers then, but he was later sacked and is now at Queens Park Rangers.

Zamora has accumulated an astonishing 41 goals in 60 games for Albion and will once again spearhead the attack in Saturday's sell-out against QPR at Withdean.

"It's just business," Adams said. "We all wheel and deal, hope we spend our money wisely and get a decent price for a particular player.

"You can't always be right in all your dealings. Who is to say still that Ian Holloway was wrong about Bobby Zamora?

"Don't forget that he had Jamie Cureton, Jason Roberts and Barry Hayles down at Rovers, so £100,000 for a 19-year-old was good business."

Zamora will be aiming to maintain his remarkable Withdean record in Albion's first clash with Rangers for 28 years.

He has scored ten goals in the last nine home games and failed to find the target only once.

Albion Reserves had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Swindon in their first home fixture of the season at Worthing last night.

A strong Seagulls' line-up dominated possession, particularly in the second half, without finding a way through.

Daniel Marney missed their best chance just before the break, when a misplaced header by Swindon defender Gareth Davies put him clean through.

The young striker shot powerfully but straight at keeper Richard McKinney who was able to parry.

Marney's partner, Dirk Lehmann, was ordered to remove his trademark ear-rings early on by West Sussex referee Martin Postles.

The German, ribbed remorselessly in training by his team-mates following England's extraordinary 5-1 triumph in Munich last Saturday, went close to breaking the deadlock.

An angled right foot drive from 15 yards flashed wide of the target and Lehmann also had a swivelling volley from inside the area held by McKinney.

Albion might have scored on several other occasions against a Swindon side watched by their new boss Roy Evans.

Marney almost capitalised on an early mix-up involving McKinney and Davies.

McKinney's mixed evening continued when he spilled a long range effort from Kerry Mayo in the 53rd minute before the ball was scrambled for a corner.

Will Packham saw much less of the action in Albion's goal, although he had to make a smothering save to foil Albert Brayley in the first half and a one-handed stop from Miguel Reisinho late on.

Robbie Pethick and Shaun Wilkinson were booked for Albion and Juan Cobian for the visitors.

Albion: Packham; Pethick, Mayo, Crosby, Wicks, Pitcher, Hart, Melton, Marney, Lehmann, Wilkinson. Subs: Hemsley, Bryant, McPhee, Hammond (for Hart 60), Harding (for Mayo 60).