The showdown against Rotherham on Saturday kicks-off six minutes later than normal.

Perhaps the Seagulls should ask the Football League for special dispensation to start an hour later than everybody else to mark the 11th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy.

The players' habit of coming to life at about that time resurfaced at St James Park. Maybe the teams thought it was already summer, with the sun shining and the temperature rising.

There was a distinct end-of-season feel to the match which, a few weeks ago, would have been relatively meaningless but should have meant a lot to both sides for sharply contrasting reasons.

For two-thirds of an uninspiring contest Albion did not perform like an outfit full of confidence after an eight-match unbeaten run and eager for another win to strengthen their play-off challenge.

Mark Walton failed to gather Graeme Power's corner and Jon Gitten's resulting volley from seven yards clipped the top of the crossbar. That ought to have acted as a wake-up call, but it was only once Martin Ling had replaced Scott Ramsay in the second half that Albion began to shake off their lethargy.

Manager Micky Adams had made the same change at around the same time to powerful effect against Swansea the week before. The improvement was more coincidental on this occasion, rather than any significant impact made by Ling, although he did play a part in the cleanest move of the match which produced one of the clearest chances.

Ling controlled Darren Freeman's cross into Paul Brooker's path, but he fired over from a difficult angle. That was the signal for Albion to belatedly storm forward. They forced a succession of corners as Adams made a further double substitution with the clock ticking away.

Skipper Paul Rogers was taken off, a rare sight. So too was Freeman, who had not trained all week because of a knee injury. Warren Aspinall and youth team striker Chris McPhee came on and Charlie Oatway almost grabbed the goal the Seagulls craved.

His 25-yard volley was heading for the far top corner of the net when Jason Matthews dived to make his only serious save of the afternoon. Walton, that early let-off apart, was similarly untroubled, but Exeter defended well in the second half and the outcome suited them much better.

They are eight points clear of relegation and virtually safe after Chester's key defeat by Carlisle. Albion probably now need five wins out of five to make the play-offs. Adams said: "Let's just be grateful people are talking about the play-offs. A year ago they were talking about a relegation team, so we have made progress. This time last season we would have been delighted with a 0-0 draw at Exeter."

He conceded, however, that his team's display was a big let-down in the context of their recent revival. "The positive was a clean sheet and not a lot more. "I cannot question the commitment and attitude. That was first class again and Exeter defended with all their might.

"The slow starts are a concern. It was a beautiful day, so I don't know whether that had something to do with it. We were never really in trouble throughout the 90 minutes, but we should win games like that.

Noel Blake, Exeter's player-manager and Adams old Leeds team-mate, was more satisfied. "We definitely deserved something," he declared. "I thought Gittens was immense at the back and Brighton only tested our keeper once. It was a game they desperately wanted to win, which is why Micky made those substitutions."

At least Rogers had the consolation of picking Papillon in Albion's Grand National sweepstake on a day when, for the most part, they were as gentle as a butterfly.

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