Albion's reigning player of the season Danny Cullip was recalled after a three-match ban for Saturday's clash against out-of-form Cheltenham at Whaddon Road.

He joined Andy Crosby and Matt Wicks at the heart of a 5-man defence, the system used by Albion boss Micky Adams for most of last season.

Albion's preparations were disrupted when the team coach suffered a puncture on the journey to Gloucestershire.

The delay waiting for a replacement coach meant they had to abandon their pre-match meal.

Adams' men fell behind in the eighth minute.

McAuley played a free-kick square to McCann, whose low left-foot shot from 30 yards beat the diving Cartwright into the bottom corner.

It was the first goal ever scored by Cheltenham against Albion and it also destroyed Cartwright's hopes of equalling the club record of seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, achieved by Billy Hayes in 1924.

The Seagulls' deficit doubled in the 11th minute, Walker heading on a corner by McAuley for Alsop to nod in over Cartwright from close range.

It was quite a shock for Albion to find themselves two goals down so early on against a team so out of touch and struggling to score in recent games.

They needed a swift response and Cullip provided it in the 14th minute with his first League goal of the season.

His flick header from Watson's free-kick from the right gave former Albion keeper Book little chance.

The explosive opening to the contest continued in the 18th minute when Carpenter reacted to a nasty challenge by McAuley in the centre circle, provoking a fracas involving a number of players from both teams.

Carpenter was booked and referee Beeby cautioned Mayo and Walker.

It was a costly fifth yellow card of the campaign for Mayo, hardly the ideal way to celebrate his 150th League appearance for the club.

The leftback will now be suspended for the next away game at Leyton Orient on March 3.

Howells' yellow card proved to be even more expensive when the Chelteneham midfielder went in heavily on Watson two minutes later.

He was sent off by Beeby for a second bookable offence, leaving Cheltenham at a numerical disadvantage with 70 minutes remaining for Albion to recover.

The Seagulls started to dominate possession, the extra man allowing wingbacks Watson and Mayo to push on even further down the flanks.

Watson was allowed to advance to strike another effort from outside the box which the scrambling Book pushed behind for a corner.

Cheltenham had to defend desperately at times as Albion poured forward in search of an equaliser approaching the break.

They were doing so with reckless abandon on occasions, leaving them susceptible to a breakaway.

The busy Book required treatment when Zamora accidentally caught him in a race for the ball, won narrowly by the Cheltenham No. 1.

Adams made a substitution for the second half, introducing Brooker on the left for Mayo.

At one point Cartwright, making the 50th League appearance of his career, looked liked being booked for handling just outside the left hand edge of his area.

Referee Beeby reached for his pocket but awarded Albion a free-kick instead after consulting his assistant.

McCann collected another caution for Cheltenham on 54 minutes for a foul on Watson.

Albion were forced into a change two minutes later, Jones replacing the injured Wicks.

Jones went to leftback and Adams made another change near the hour mark.

Hart replaced skipper Rogers as Albion switched to 4-2-4, with Hart alongside Zamora and Freeman returning to the right.

Cheltenham also made a substitution on 64 minutes, Bloomer coming on for Devaney.

Substitute Bloomer was booked on 68 minutes for a foul on Jones.

Hart then spurned a great chance to level for the Seagulls a minute later, heading over from point blank range after Zamora and Crosby got in headers from a Watson corner.

It proved a costly miss, Bloomer putting Cheltenham 3-1 up moments later with an angled left foot shot from 15 yards.

Cullip collected the Seagulls' third caution of a madcap contest 18 minutes from time for a foul on Walker.

Cheltenham: Steve Book; Mark Freeman, Lee Howells, Antony Griffin, Hugh McAuley,Richard Walker, Mark Yates, Neil Howarth, Julian Alsop, Martin Devaney, Grant McCann. Subs: Bloomer, White, Higgs, Jackson, Hopkins.

Albion: Mark Cartwright; Paul Watson, Kerry Mayo, Danny Cullip, Andy Crosby, Darren Freeman, Paul Rogers, Charlie Oatway, Richard Carpenter, Matthew Wicks, Bobby Zamora. Subs: Kuipers, Hart, Melton, Brooker, Jones.

Referee: Mr R. Beeby (Northants).