Paul Kitson made his comeback after a four-month absence last night as Albion Reserves struggled through to the fourth round of the Sussex Senior Cup.

Dean White's side had to come from behind to see off plucky East Preston 2-1 at the Lashmar with a goal 18 minutes from time by Paul Brooker.

Kitson had back surgery following the last of his four first team appearances for the Seagulls against Gillingham at Withdean in September.

The former West Ham forward came close to his first goal for the club on a couple of occasions as a strong Albion line-up, containing nine players with senior experience this season, laboured to get the better of their spirited County League hosts.

The match also marked the return to action of centre-half Dean Blackwell. Albion's ex-Wimbledon stopper has not featured since suffering a re-occurrence of ham string trouble at Preston in November.

A major shock seemed plausible when Lee Farrell put EP into an exquisite 26th minute lead. The young deaf and dumb striker cut inside to curl a left-foot shot past Albion's veteran goalkeeping coach John Keeley, deputising for hand injury victim Will Packham.

The Seagulls needed a moment of inspiration from John Piercy to pull level just before the break. He produced an even better effort than Farrell's, a right-foot curler into the top corner from 20-yards.

Brooker spared them extra time with an angled left-foot drive from close range.

Albion Reserves: Keeley; Hinshelwood; Wilkinson; Blackwell; Butters; Hammond; Brooker; Rogers; McPhee; Kitson; Piercy. Subs: Lee; Harding; Greatwich; Bartholomew; Beck.