Albion have one of the smallest squads in the Championship, so it is just as well it is also one of the most adaptable.

Mark McGhee can count on a collection of flexible friends, each of them able to operate in a variety of positions.

Australian all-rounder Paul Reid switched from right midfield to leftback on Saturday to compensate for the loss through injury of Kerry Mayo.

The most fascinating change was the conversion of Leon Knight from striker, wide attacker or semi-forward as he was on the opening day at Derby into a rightsided central midfielder.

He scored his first goal since January and played the starring role in a match Albion should have won yet almost lost.

"I enjoyed it a lot," Knight said. "It was more pleasing that I got on the scoresheet from midfield.

"When I was growing up I tried to have an all-round game where I could use my left foot, my right, cross a ball and head a ball. It's paying off now where I can play in different positions.

"First and foremost it's about the team, then your individual goals come second.

"I think the manager had a bit of confidence in me after the Derby game. I'm capable of playing there because I've got confidence in my ability. You need a lot of technique if you are an attacking midfield player."

Knight's words will be music to McGhee's ears. He has spent the past 18 months trying to turn him into more of a team player.

Against Crewe the purpose of Knight's revised role was two-fold, to provide an acknowledged lack of flair in the middle of the park and blunt the influence of the visitors' left-sided midfielder David Vaughan.

McGhee relies on flexible friends McGhee is a horses for courses manager. He often changes the way Albion play, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.

Knight's new position is an alternative, not a permanent switch.

"We played three midfielders because of Crewe," McGhee said. "They play three in there and if we hadn't we would have been passed to death. We won't always need three but we now know Leon can do that job."

The conundrum for McGhee is that he needs Knight in his more customary position to help find the cutting edge Albion have so far been lacking.

Colin Kazim-Richards has played alone up front so far, a big responsibility for one so young and inexperienced. He ran out of steam and was replaced in the second half by Argentine target man Federico Turienzo, who still looks short of match fitness and sharpness.

French right winger Sebastien Carole provided flashes of promise on his debut, notably in the first half when the man from Monaco exchanged passes with Richard Carpenter to strike a curling left-foot shot. It was bound for the far corner of the net when Ben Williams dived to keep it out.

Knight's goal drought ended three minutes before the break, tucking away Paul McShane's cut-back from close range after Guy Butters headed on a freekick.

Crewe were pathetic in the first half and only marginally better in the second until a couple of changes up front by Dario Gradi turned the game on its head.

Mark Rivers headed them level at the far post with 13 minutes left, the ball breaking to him when defender Richard Walker's low drive following a free-kick was partially blocked.

Fellow substitute Michael Higdon, escaping from the Seagulls' suddenly shellshocked defence, headed Crewe ahead six minutes later from a cross by fit-again captain Kenny Lunt.

Dean Hammond came to Albion's rescue three minutes from time, maintaining the scoring form which started towards the end of last season and continued through pre-season and at Derby.

Knight's cross reached him via Jake Robinson, on for the closing stages in place of Charlie Oatway. Hammond's first effort was blocked by Williams, but he fired the rebound into the roof of the net.

Gradi was refreshingly unbiased in his accurate post-match assessment. "We were abysmal in the first half," he admitted. "I made my feelings known at half-time and we were slightly better but I don't know how we went 2-1 up.

"Brighton were much the better side and if I was Mark McGhee I would consider myself unfortunate not to have won it."

McGhee said: "We played so well for an hour. Some of our passing and movement was top drawer. I would like to see more end product but it's a learning process.

"We started to pass the ball last year from being a more basic team the year before when we were promoted. We are passing it better all the time but we have got to score more goals.

"We got one and then ran out of energy. It's not enough, we need to get that second goal."

It's far too early to panic about the League table. Derby's win at Plymouth on Saturday makes Albion's opening point at County look better, likewise Reading's emphatic result at Preston following their win at Withdean.

As Hammond pointed out, one point is more than Albion took from Crewe last season. If they can find a killer instinct that first victory is surely not far away.

  • Matchfacts
  • - Shots on goal: Albion 6, Crewe 3.

- Shots off goal: Albion 5, Crewe 3.

- Corners: Albion 2, Crewe 3.

- Offside: Ablion 1, Crewe 2.

- Free-kicks: Albion 16, Crewe 12.

  • Albion Bookings: McShane (11) foul, Carpenter (70) foul.
  • Crewe Bookings: B.Jones (42) foul.
  • Albion scorers: Knight (42), Hammond (87).
  • Crewe scorers: Rivers (77), Higdon (83).