Lee Steele returned to Albion's first team squad at Plainmoor this weekend.

Steele, missing since before Christmas with a knee injury sustained in a car crash, was preferred to youngster Scott Ramsay.

Adams named the axed Michel Kuipers as spare keeper, something he does not normally do for League games.

Paul Brooker, another of the players dropped, was not among the replacements after hurting his back in training.

Nathan Jones, Brooker's replacement on the left, scored twice when Albion thrashed Torquay 6-2 at Withdean back in September.

They knew a first win at Plainmoor for 36 years would take them back up to second after Cardiff were held to a goalless home draw against Rochdale on Friday.

Zamora looked sharp in the early stages. The prolific marksman ended a delightful run with a pass which Freeman could not quite latch on to before it ran behind for a goal kick.

A pass from defence by Watson released Zamora goal side of a Torquay rearguard looking themselves for an offside flag.

Zamora laid the ball back for Melton, but his effort curled high and wide of the target.

Later, frustrated by one offside decision, he blotted his copybook when he was flagged offside again in the 26th minute.

He fired over the bar once the whistle had been blown and was promptly booked by referee Warren.

Gayle forced Cartwright into serious action for the first time in the 33rd minute with a 25-yard curler which the diving keeper pushed over his own bar as he backpedalled.

A couple of minutes later Mayo's cross from the left somehow reached Zamora, but it got stuck in his feet and the chance was lost.

The changes made by Adams had certainly injected more life into Albion going forward.

Gayle, a 36-year-old veteran of countless clubs, had his name taken in the 43rd minute for an over-robust challenge on Wicks.

Northmore had to scramble to his left to hold an ambitious 30 yarder by Jones.

It was the last meaningful action of a fiercely fought half in which the Seagulls looked the classier side.

Albion had a let-off within seconds of the restart.

Crosby miscued a header from Gayle into the path of Williams deep inside the Albion area.

He was foiled by Cartwright, then lifted the rebound over a gaping goal.

Torquay went close to breaking the deadlock again five minutes later, the overlapping Bedeau's cross from the right hitting the top of the bar with Cartwright beaten.

Chalqui, already booked, received a final warning from referee Warren following a foul on Freeman.

Both teams were fully committed on a muddy, uneven pitch.

Holmes, unhappy at the award of a foul on Freeman, collected Torquay's third caution on the hour mark for kicking the ball away.

The resulting free-kick by Watson, advanced ten yards by the ref to the edge of the box, hit the defensive wall on its way through to Northmore.

Another free-kick by Watson from wide on the right was tipped over by Northmore as the infringement count against Torquay continued to climb.

Albion introduced Steele for Jones with 20 minutes remaining.

Zamora made the breakthrough they craved five minutes later, planting a free header past Northmore from Freeman's superb cross.

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

Torquay: Ryan Northmore, Steve Tully, Paul Holmes, Lee Russell, Gary Neil, Jimmy Aggrey, Tony Bedeau, Khalid Chalqi, John Gayle, Jason Rees, Eifion Williams. Subs: Stephens, Lyons, Ashington, Watson, Herrera.

Referee: Mr M. Warren (Walsall).