Glenn Murray could give Albion’s battle to beat the drop a last-gasp boost, after more hernia surgery.

The Seagulls hope to have their second top scorer back for the match which may decide their fate, at home to Stockport on the final day.

Murray has bagged 12 goals in 29 appearances, despite missing a large chunk of the season.

He eventually had surgery in Germany to repair a hernia, which sidelined him between January and March.

The former Rochdale marksman tore a stomach muscle on his comeback against Tranmere five games ago and now he has undergone another hernia operation.

Manager Russell Slade revealed: “He’s had an op on the other side. That wasn’t perfect when they did the other one.

“He was probably compensating a little bit and that’s why he got a stomach tear.

“It will probably be another eight days before he can train. Realistically he will be back for the last game.”

Top scorer Nicky Forster will miss the rest of the season and the skipper could be out for the start of next season, depending on the outcome of exploratory knee surgery next week.

If cruciate ligament damage is discovered it will be repaired straight away.

Forster has 15 goals in 37 appearances this season but has not featured since the 2-0 defeat at Scunthorpe last month.

The fit-again Colin Hawkins and Kevin McLeod play in the reserves against QPR at the West Londoners’ training base in Middlesex today (2pm).