Albion are all smiles today after a winning boost to their relegation battle - except for Gary Hart.

He faces a trip to the dentist to repair teeth wobbled by a stray elbow from Millwall's Burgess Hill-based defender Matt Lawrence.

The off-the-ball clash in the 25th minute of Saturday's showdown at The Den cut short Hart's involvement in a 2-0 win for Albion which keeps alive their hopes of staying in the Championship.

Albion were already 2-0 up against their fellow strugglers, through early goals by Paul Reid and Paul McShane, when Hart was left face down inside the Millwall area by Lawrence.

Hart revealed: "He (Lawrence) went to head the ball back and I've gone to chase down the keeper.

"I saw the elbow coming and it just smacked me straight in the teeth.

"All I felt was my teeth going back. Three or four of them are wobbly and it doesn't look good.

"I've been told he (Lawrence) is not that sort of player and if it was an accident fair enough but as far as I know he swung an elbow at me so I'm obviously not happy about it.

"I'll be at the dentist as soon as I can to sort it out, because it's not good for my looks!"

The incident was missed by referee Keith Hill and his assistants and, to add insult to injury, Hart had to be substituted after 12 minutes of treatment off the pitch by club doctor Alistair Raiman and physio Malcolm Stuart.

He changed his shirt but the fourth official would not let allow him back on, claiming that blood was still gushing from his mouth.

Manager Mark McGhee said: "He had a fat lip and a few loose teeth.

"The fourth official said the blood was gushing. It wasn't gushing. He had a cut lip and that was all. It was a puzzle to me."

Albion's first win for 12 games closes the gap on Millwall to a point and they are seven points adrift of safety with five games to go after Sheffield Wednesday were held to a goalless home draw by Burnley.

McGhee said: "If we beat Southampton on Saturday and Sheffield Wednesday draw again (at Crewe) then suddenly we're five points behind them with them still to play and it's game on."