Running out of time: McGhee tries in vain to urge his players on during a frustrating afternoon at Withdean Albion's failure to score at Withdean for only the second time this season emphasised an absence of strength in depth to sustain an automatic promotion challenge.

With their best 11 available the Seagulls are a match for any side in the Second Division.

Once players are missing, as was the case on Saturday, then they struggle to overcome even modest opposition.

Manager Mark McGhee focused on the lack of competition or cover for the 27-goal partnership of Leon Knight and Chris McPhee.

The latter has done remarkably well to contribute a third of that total in his first season as a regular, but the fact that McGhee is forced to depend week in and week out on an inexperienced youngster still learning the art of forward play rather proves his point.

Acquiring another striker has not been for the want of trying on McGhee's part. It is the hardest position to fill, because everybody wants goalscorers.

It is even harder for clubs in Albion's current predicament to unearth such a player on the cheap.

The Argus revealed on Saturday that Norman Cook, alias DJ Fatboy Slim, has put more money into the club to "keep things ticking over", like the monthly wages.

Centre half Guy Butters, who played another solid part in Albion's second successive clean sheet at home, revealed: "As the manager told us afterwards, he hasn't got the resources to bring too many players in so basically the squad he has got he has got to work with.

"I know other teams have injuries, but they always seem to have that little bit bigger squads.

"Look at our bench. I think the oldest one on it was probably Ross (Flitney). Apart from that the eldest was about 20, but they are home-grown lads which is a plus.

"If we can get a fully fit squad then it will give the manager a headache as to who he is going to play."

That is still a long way off. Dean Blackwell will not be back untilMarch, Simon Rodger even later.

The problem for McGhee on this occasion was exacerbated by John Piercy's failure to recover from a hamstring problem, which deprived him in two respects.

Piercy made a relatively successful switch to an orthodox striker in Albion's previous outing at Swindon.

On Saturday he was lined up for the role he has been longing to occupy on the left side of midfield in place of the injured and now suspended Nathan Jones.

With Richard Carpenter serving a one-match ban as well, it meant Charlie Oatway was pressed back into full-time service sooner than anticipated.

Oatway did well to last the 90 minutes in his first start since September following back surgery.

McGhee said: "He is an important type of player to have in your team, both from the point of view of his physical contribution but also verbally and morale-wise he is good to have around.

"Charlie did remarkably well. I thought I would have to tug him after an hour, but I decided to leave him in there because he looked as if he was coping well enough."

Ben Roberts coped even better on his return from a knee injury. Without three fine saves from the keeper Albion would have undeservedly ended up with nothing.

Early on Roberts helped Danny Boshell's close-range shot onto the crossbar, then after the break he got a hand to Paul Murray's angled drive from ten yards.

From the resulting corner Roberts made a breathtaking stop to push a powerful header from former Crawley midfielder Ernie Cooksey onto the bar.

Les Pogliacomi matched Roberts' exploits. He blocked Knight's point-blank header on the half-hour from a long throw routine yet, despite Albion controlling possession for considerable periods, Oldham's Australian custodian was not seriously bothered again until the dying stages.

He smothered a precise attempt by Dan Harding, who cut short Zesh Rehman's farewell appearance on loan from Fulham midway through the second half.

Moments later Dan Marney, introduced for McPhee soon after the restart, had a goalbound toe-poke tipped over the bar.

By this time Adam Virgo had been thrown on up front in one last desperate attempt by McGhee to fashion a victory, but Oldham's disciplined defending warranted a point.

Butters said: "I think they came for a draw. At the end their lads were punching the air as if they had won but fair play to them, they did it well.

"Their keeper pulled off a wonderful save at the end from Dan Harding, but Ben pulled off a couple as well to keep us in it.

"His reactions were brilliant. We did a little five-a-side in training last week and some of the saves Ben was pulling off in that were phenomenal."

Roberts will probably be called upon more often on Saturday at Queens Park Rangers, where only an improbable victory will keep alive Albion's slender automatic promotion hopes.

Staying in the play-off zone is the more realistic target and that will not be easy, with just three points dividing the Seagulls in fifth from Brian Horton's Port Vale in 12th.

  • ALBION (4-3-3): Roberts (gk) 8; Watson (rb) 7, Mayo (lb) 6, Cullip (cd) 7, Knight (f) 7, Hart (f) 7, Oatway (m) 7, Yeates (m) 7, Butters (cd) 7, McPhee (f) 6, Rehman (cm) 6. Subs: Marney 6 for McPhee (withdrawn 58), Virgo for Yeates (withdrawn 87), Harding for Rehman (withdrawn 65), El-Abd, Flitney.
  • Bookings: Yeates (63) foul.
  • OLDHAM (3-5-2): Pogliacomi; Holden, Cooksey, Murray, Eyre, Johnson, Vernon, Boshell, Hall, Haining, Griffin. Subs: J. Sheridan for Vernon (withdrawn 83), Clegg, Westwood, Tierney for Griffin (withdrawn 90), Eyres.
  • Bookings: Haining (45) foul.
  • Attendance: 6,036.
  • Fan's View: Robbie Douglas (Brighton) Many more mediorce performances like this and Albion Chief Executive Martin Perry won't be able to sell 5,000 of the seats he has currently got, never mind an extra 2,000.

So what was Leon Knight doing out on the left? The team just looked bereft of any ideas.

Although the keepers pulled off a number of quality saves the match had an end of season feel to it which was quite apt because unless the Albion buck their ideas up it will be mid-table at best.

Then how will Mr Perry be able to entice season ticket holders to renew early for next season to help the obvious cashflow problems?

On the positive side, thank God for Norman Cook. Where would this club be without Fat Boy Slim?