Doug Loft is determined not to experience relegation with Albion for the second time.

The energetic midfielder's debut season with the Seagulls was marred by demotion from the Championship.

They were already down when he scored his first goal for the club, in a 5-1 home drubbing by Stoke, and Loft does not want that empty end-of-season feeling again.

"It was devastating," he said. "All the boys were upset. That is motivating us now. Quite a few boys have been through it before.

"We know the feeling and we don't want to go through it again but we are confident we can stay up."

Loft, 22, covered a lot of ground in Saturday's home win over Oldham, as Albion alternated between a midfield diamond and 4-4-2.

He will have plenty of running to do again at Bristol Rovers tonight, his fifth start in six matches since returning from a loan spell with Dagenham and Redbridge.

"I just needed a run of games," Loft said. "I got my fitness and my game back at Dagenham. The manager now is showing faith in me and I think I am playing well because of that."