BOSS Chris Hughton has expressed concern about Albion’s away form and has warned they will need to better last season’s tally of wins to clinch promotion.

The Seagulls have nine away victories, the same as last season’s final total when they just missed out on the top two.

But they have only won two of their last seven outings on the road after losing 2-0 at play-offs bound Leeds United.

Hughton says they cannot depend solely on their dominant form at the Amex to see them over the line with eight games to go.

Asked if the away form is a concern, Hughton told The Argus: “It is. I thought we were very good at Rotherham.

“I didn’t think we were bad at Leeds. I thought we were poor at Nottingham Forest.

“But yes, in this series of games we’ve got, QPR won’t be easy. Certainly Villa and Norwich won’t be easy or Wolves, who are in form at the moment. None of them are easy away games, but we will certainly have to win away from home in the games we’ve got and the other teams are going to keep pushing.”

Albion’s non-internationals began four days of training in Valencia, Spain, yesterday before a short break and the build-up to successive home matches against Blackburn Rovers on April 1 and Birmingham three days later.

Hughton expects to have captain Bruno and Seb Pocognoli back from groin injuries to bolster his depleted defence, together with recent signing Vegard Forren.

The Norwegian centre-half had a run-out in the under-23s in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Lancing in the last 16 of the Premier League Cup.

Hughton said: “Vegard will be ready. He played 60 minutes and apparently did really well, so he will be two weeks further down the line.”

Bruno took the decision to sit out the setback at Leeds after training on Friday.

Albion remain six points clear in second of Huddersfield, who have a game in hand, and are a point behind leaders Newcastle.