Albion's sail towards safety after sinking Pirates

They could not have chosen a more important moment to come from behind away from home to win for the first time this season.

Substitute Calvin Andrew was the second-half match-winner for Russell Slade’s battlers.

The on-loan Crystal Palace striker’s header secured a third away win in succession and fourth out of five overall.

It was difficult to pick anyone out after such a heroic effort but Adam Virgo was immense at the back and Gary Hart continued his new lease of life upfront by creating both goals, the first for Lloyd Owusu.

Safety could be assured if the Seagulls triumph again at Huddersfield on Saturday and other results go their way.

Fears ahead of the game that Slade would be forced into two defensive changes proved unfounded.

In the end it was only one, with Adam Hinshelwood preferred to Adam El-Abd at right-back in place of the suspended Andrew Whing.

Tommy Elphick recovered from the thigh injury sustained in Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Oldham to take his place alongside skipper Virgo at the heart of the back four.

Hinshelwood, on only his second start since February, had the task of marking Darryl Duffy, who is better-known as a centre forward and was a goalscoring thorn in Albion’s side for his previous club Swansea.

Rovers boss Paul Trollope named an unchanged line-up with a licence to thrill.

Trollope’s team was brimming with attacking intent, partly because of injury problems in defence. That meant wingers in the full-back positions in the shape of David Pipe and Jeff Hughes, while Duffy supplemented the free-scoring partnership of Jo Kuffour and Rickie Lambert, the leading marksman in League One.

Slade adapted accordingly, dispensing with the diamond he has used at the start of recent matches. Dean Cox began on the left of a three-man midfield, with Gary Dicker just in front of the back four.

The Seagulls were grateful for two fine pieces of defending by Virgo to save them from an early retrieval mission.

He blocked Lambert’s first-time shot for a corner after Kuffour showed good strength inside the penalty area.

Virgo produced something even better when the lively Kuffour linked with Craig Disley to set up Duffy. His shot was bound for the roof of the net when Virgo headed over his own bar.

The home side’s adventurous approach gave Albion opportunities to counter, which they did with some promise, although it was from a couple of set-pieces that they threatened to break the deadlock.

Elphick was penalised when he beat Steve Phillips to a free-kick from Hinshelwood to head just wide and the in-form Owusu nodded over from a Cox corner.

Albion’s satisfaction at approaching the half-hour mark on level terms was dented as they discovered, like so many before them, that it was impossible to keep Lambert off the scoresheet.

They were, mind you, architects of their own downfall to a large extent as the robust target man struck his 28th goal of the campaign in the 28th minute.

A low cross by Disley skewed off the boot of Elphick to Lambert at the far side of the box and he swivelled to fire a shot which went through the legs of Michel Kuipers. The Seagulls’ record away from home has not been good this season when they have fallen behind but they responded well to force an equaliser two minutes before the break.

Hart was the provider, as he has been numerous times since his return from a long-term knee injury.

His enticing cross to the near post deflected into the bottom corner as Owusu was challenged by Hughes.

Owusu was credited with the goal over the loud speaker, even though it seemed to go in off Hughes.

The relief at restoring parity was marred by Cox hobbling off in first-half injury time to be replaced by Calvin Andrew.

It was a blow to lose Cox’s creative influence but Andrew more than made up for his absence with a superbly taken and constructive second goal for the Seagulls seven minutes into the restart.

Hart was the instigator once more. He turned away from his marker down the right to whip over a cross which Andrew met with a bullet header.

Falling behind put a lid on Rovers’ desire and the lead was maintained with a degree of comfort until midway through the second half, when Disley volleyed over from Kuffour’s cross.

Albion suffered a further injury blow when Owusu was forced off following a bad tackle by Stuart Campbell, which earned the Rovers captain one of five cautions in an encounter which was vigorously contested, rather than dirty.

Hearts were in mouths in the closing stages as Lambert headed on to, instead of into, the roof of the net from another cross by Kuffour.

It was the last meaningful scare for an Albion side now on the threshold of a great escape.

Albion: (4-1-3-2): Kuipers; Hinshelwood, Virgo, Elphick, Borrowdale; Dicker; Loft, Fraser, Cox; Hart, Owusu. Subs: Andrew for Cox (injured, 45), Davies for Owusu (injured, 76), El-Abd, McLeod for Hart (withdrawn, 84), Hawkins.

Scorers: Owusu (43), Andrew (52).

Yellow Cards: Hinshelwood (77, foul), Kuipers (80, time wasting).

Red Cards: None.

Bristol Rovers: (4-4-2): Phillips; Pipe, Hinton, Anthony, Hughes; Disley, Campbell, Lines, Duffy; Lambert, Kuffour. Subs: St Louis-Hamilton, Hunt, Rigg, Kite, Reece.

Scorers: Lambert (28).

Yellow Cards: Kuffour (41, foul), Pipe (58, dissent), Campbell (74, foul).

Red Cards: None.