Albion boss Dean Wilkins has backed Glenn Murray to get back on the goal trail.

Murray drew a blank on his return to his home town club as the Seagulls' play-off hopes suffered a jolt.

Most of their chances to upset automatic promotion contenders Carlisle fell to the former Rochdale marksman but he was denied twice in the first half by keeper Keiren Westwood.

Wilkins said: "We knew that Glenn is a player who can miss a couple as well but what you have to look at is that in every game he gets himself into great situations. Many of the opportunities come through his own movement and individualism.

"If you go a goal up in the bigger games that can give you a lift and can really make a difference. If we are to break through into the top six then we have to take advantage of the good play we have and the chances we create.

"Glenn has had the majority of those chances recently but that is credit to him as well so let's not start knocking him because he is doing a really good job."

Wilkins was unhappy with Albion's defending for the goals which sentenced them to a fifth defeat out of six away from home.

Danny Graham opened the scoring in the first half from a quickly-taken free kick which caught David Martot unawares and Danny Livesey volleyed a second after the break from a corner which was not dealt with.

Wilkins said: "The first goal was incredibly frustrating. It was a quick free kick and even the way it ended up in the back of the net was so untidy.

"They scored the second when we were heavily on top in the second half. It's not just the first ball you have to compete for, you have to stay on your man on the second ball because there is still movement around the box and we failed to do that.

"The higher you go and the better the opposition you play then it is the finer detail that wins you the game or lets you down and that was definitely the case."

Albion have dropped to 12th, five points adrift of the play-offs and defender Andrew Whing is a booking away from a two-match ban following his ninth caution of the campaign.

Can Albion make the play-offs or is their run-in just too difficult?