The highlight of Shaun Wilkinson's Albion career to date was coming on as a substitute against his home club Portsmouth at Fratton Park in August.

The circumstances were rather different yet no less significant for the versatile young Seagull when he faced Pompey again in the Reserves at a near-deserted Woodside Road on Wednesday.

A crowd of 87, enduring a bore draw on a desperate playing surface, included Steve Coppell.

Wilkinson has to impress the manager to secure a hat-trick of one-year contracts.

"I'm pretty hopeful," said the 21-year-old. "I did well early in the season and was involved in a lot of the games in the first team.

"I've been sub for the last few games, so I would like to think I am still in his plans."

Wilkinson, who cut short a loan spell with Chesterfield due to a lack of first team opportunities, is trying to stay calm about his future.

"I'm out of contract at the end of the season and that is difficult," he said.

"There were so many players out of contract last season, so you want to know early if you are not being taken on, to do something somewhere else.

"I will have to wait and see. If you think about it, it just makes it worse. You worry even more."

Wilkinson, playing on the right side of midfield, had few opportunities to shine on Wednesday, although he almost won the match with a shot near the end which screwed narrowly wide.

"It was a 0-0 classic," he joked. "The pitch was awful and it is difficult to get motivated but you just have to get on with it. You obviously get more up for it when there are more people.

"My performance was average. I did okay, some good things and some bad things.

"This season I think I have played in every position. I prefer centre forward and that is where I had been playing lately.

"That's where I have played for the first team, but I don't mind where it is really as long as I can do a job for the team."

Whether Wilkinson is still doing a job for the team next season remains to be seen.

Geoff Pitcher won't be for the rest of this season.

The midfielder, on loan to Conference club Farnborough until the end of the campaign, equalised with his third goal in four games in midweek against his former club Woking.

Pitcher, signed by Micky Adams from Kingstonian for £25,000, still has a year left on his contract.