THE honeymoon for Albion's players under Brian Horton has come to an abrupt end.

Horton was hot under the collar following his first defeat in four matches, and no wonder. He discovered the intense frustration of management at a level where you can tell players one thing, then watch them do the complete opposite. It was always going to be uphill at sloping Underhill on Saturday against a strong, well-organised side pressing for automatic promotion. During training the day before Horton honed in on Barnet's tactic of hitting balls over the top into the holes behind a turned defence. The players were urged to combat this by dropping off into deeper positions, yet within seven minutes hey presto. A ball over the top by the influential John Doolan for Scott McGleish to run unchallenged through the inside right channel enabled Phil Simpson to slot Barnet ahead. It was the worst possible start after Albion had elected to kick up a severe gradient and the hosts, with Doolan bossing the battle in the middle of midfield against weak opposition, went on to completely control the first half. A change in formation by Horton for the second half, from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 produced an amazing transformation. Steve Barnes started running the show from his revised free role in the centre of midfield. Kerry Mayo should have been awarded a penalty when Simpson blatantly barged him in the back, then Stuart Storer should have equalised with a close-range header which hit the post. That was the turning point. Dozey defending three minutes later following a free-kick arising from a booking for Mayo allowed Sean Devine to set up skipper Lee Howarth for a simple second goal against Albion this season. The central defender also registered in Barnet's 3-0 romp at Gillingham on Bonfire Night. Paul Linger was foiled by the post with six minutes left and Storer likewise again deep into stoppage time, but it had already turned into a damp squib of a day for the remarkably loyal Seagulls supporters responsible for almost half of the total attendance. The same could be said for Damian Hilton. The young striker struggled to adapt to the pace of first team football on his debut following his free move from Norwich reserves as Albion completed an unhappy hat-trick of blank sheets.

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