It is more than two years since Micky Adams left Albion for Leicester, but the bond he developed with his old club is as strong as ever.

Such deep-rooted affection persuaded Adams to lend Trevor Benjamin to the hard-up Seagulls when a loan spell at Mansfield would, in financial terms at least, have been more favourable.

It has even been suggested that Leicester are continuing to pay Benjamin's wages in full, while Albion cover his expenses.

If that is the case then it is a remarkably warm-hearted gesture by their former manager.

Now Albion need another favour from Adams. Keeping Benjamin for at least an extra month could make a crucial difference to their promotion challenge.

Adams might be tempted into thinking now is the time for all hands on deck after Saturday's 5-0 home drubbing by Aston Villa plunged Leicester deep into the relegation mire.

He has demonstrated no inclination so far to play Benjamin in the Premiership and the Seagulls must be hoping it stays that way.

Benjamin may not be a world beater but he is certainly making a big difference to Albion.

He scored goals for Leicester in the First Division towards the end of last season and he is starting to show why another former Albion manager, Peter Taylor, paid £1.5 million to take him from Cambridge United to the Foxes on a five-year contract.

In Benjamin's three appearances so far Albion have been narrowly beaten by second-placed Queens Park Rangers, taken all three points at home to fourth-placed Barnsley and now done the same against the League leaders.

His little and large partnership with Leon Knight terrorised the meanest defence in the country as Plymouth were put to the sword in front of the Sky TV cameras.

It took just over half-an-hour for both Benjamin and Knight to puncture a back four which had previously not conceded in ten and-a-half hours.

The muscular Benjamin's first Albion goal gave an indication of what he is all about.

The outstanding Richard Carpenter headed the ball back into the box and he turned powerfully away from his marker to score with an angled left-foot drive which went in off defender Paul Connolly.

Knight's first home goal from open play since October owed much to an unlikely piece of skill by a young defender of similar stature to Benjamin.

Adam Virgo, building on his first appearance for 15 months against Barnsley, tricked his way past Nathan Lowndes before delivering a penetrating low cross which Knight swept in right-footed from ten yards.

It was no more than Albion deserved for a vibrant first-half performance which completely perplexed the Second Division pacesetters.

Mark McGhee opted to change a winning team, recalling the fit-again John Piercy up front at the expense of Chris McPhee in a continuation of the 4-3-3 formation he introduced against Barnsley.

Piercy's injury problems struck again. He twisted his left ankle in an innocuous incident towards the end of the first half and had to be replaced by Gary Hart soon after the break.

Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock made a double substitution at half time, bringing on Marino Keith as a third striker and shuffling the system further so that David Friio could operate in a more advanced role behind the front trio.

Friio's influence on the match was minimalised by Carpenter and the determined Charlie Oatway, although it required a flying save from Ben Roberts to prevent the Frenchman from heading Plymouth back into serious contention.

Danny Cullip, commanding as ever, and his partner Guy Butters stood firm in the face of Argyle's second-half response.

Cullip cleared off the line from Lowndes, with Roberts stranded after spilling a cross.

If a ferocious swivelling volley from Butters had gone in, instead of being tipped onto the bar by Luke McCormick, Albion would have been spared an anxious climax.

Lowndes picked up the pieces with two minutes left after the sprawling Roberts kept out a free-kick from deep which flicked off the head of Cullip, but it did not deserve to be anything more than a consolation.

McGhee said: "The result is one thing, but more important maybe was the nature of the performance. The boys have put down a bit of a marker in terms of what they are capable of.

"In the first half in particular we played good football in difficult conditions, the best since I have been here.

"The tempo was good. There was an urgency about us but quality as well. We put a lot of energy into the first half and when you look back the game was won by half time.

"We weren't as pretty in the second half, but you are going to surrender a bit of possession when you are running out of energy. I still think we won fairly comfortably."

Withdean is beginning to be a fortress again. Albion have won four and drawn two at home since that mauling by Bristol City and the atmosphere on Saturday, as McGhee noted, was noticeably better.

Sturrock admitted: "We were second to everything in the first 45 minutes. You have got to give credit to Brighton, they were right up for the game and pressurised us from the kick-off. By the time we came alive the horse had bolted.

"Brighton have good players and I am sure they will be there or thereabouts. They always do very well at home, it's the away form they are going to have to turn around."

With Benjamin and Knight providing such a potent threat, Albion have the opportunity to do just that in the next couple of weeks at Wycombe, Luton and Grimsby.

  • ALBION (4-3-3): Roberts (gk) 7; Watson (lm) 7, Mayo (lb) 7, Cullip (cd) 8, Knight (f) 8, Oatway (cm) 8, Carpenter (cm) 9, Butters (cd) 8, Benjamin (f) 9, Virgo (rb) 8, Piercy (f) 7. Subs: Kuipers, Hart 6 for Piercy (injured 48), McPhee for Knight (withdrawn 75), El-Abd, Robinson.
  • Scorers: Benjamin (12), Knight (34).
  • Bookings: Watson (56) foul.
  • PLYMOUTH (4-4-2): McCormick; Hodges, Friio, Coughlan, Norris, Evans, Wotton, Aljofree, Lowndes, Connolly, Gilbert. Subs: Adams for Norris (withdrawn 46), Stonebridge, Capaldi, Keith for Hodges (withdrawn 46), B. Sturrock for Aljofree (withdrawn 82).
  • Scorer: Lowndes (88).
  • Booking: Friio (86) foul.
  • Half-Time: Albion 2 Plymouth 0.
  • Attendance: 6,379.
  • Fans' View: PAUL BRINKHURST (Lewes) Danny Cullip was solid at the back and he was outstanding in an excellent team performance, one of the best of the season. Plymouth came back into it in the second half, but we defended well. Hopefully we can consolidate a play-off place in the three away games we've got coming up.

AUBREY KING (Horsham) It was a brilliant performance in the first half when we totally dominated the game. We've shown we can beat the best team in the division and with that confidence it's possible for us to finish in the top two. Cullip and Virgo shone through in defence, particularly in the second half.

TONY EDWARDS (Hove) An excellent all-round performance with two good goals. I was a bit disappointed we went back to 4-4-2 in the second half because that helped hand Plymouth the initiative, but I'm probably being a bit picky because they never looked like scoring before they did. See you in Cardiff?

CLAIRE SALMON (Plymouth fan, from Guildford) We weren't very good, particularly in the first half when we created nothing. Knight and Benjamin caused us quite a few problems in the first half. I don't think they had much to beat to be fair, but Brighton will probably get in the play-offs and I'm still very confident we'll win the league.