Part of the art of goalkeeping is to maintain concentration, to be ready even when rarely required.

Michel Kuipers did just that at Brunton Park on Saturday to help Albion to a club record and edge them closer to their first title since 1965.

The Dutch giant had very little to keep him occupied until the last eight minutes of a contest in which the Seagulls failed to convert their obvious supremacy into clearcut chances.

He then produced a superb fingertip save to foil Lee Maddison's low drive and later dived to his left to hold another goalbound shot from sub Carl Heggs.

Kuipers has come on leaps and bounds since the indignity of being substituted at half-time in the opening day defeat at Southend due to his poor kicking.

The fault briefly cost him his place again in February, but 16 clean sheets out of the 22 which have created a new club mark speaks for itself.

Boss Micky Adams said: "Michel knew he had faults, but he has worked ever so hard. He is a model professional.

"He's had some good coaching from Mike Kelly and Keelo (John Keeley) and we are reaping the rewards. He is looking a good goalkeeper.

"His kicking leaves something to be desired at times, but I forgive him for that."

Adams is so at ease with Kuipers now that he does not regard signing another goalkeeper as a summer priority.

This is in spite of the impending departure of the transfer-listed Mark Cartwright, whose six shut-outs earlier in the season should not be forgotten.

The record is not just down to Albion's No.1 It's a team effort, as Adams pointed out.

Danny Cullip and Andy Crosby were particularly dominant at the heart of the defence again, although the Seagulls were so much on top at times that Carlisle often had only Ian Stevens up front and they dragged him back as well when defending corners.

Stevens set up an early chance which Scott Dobie side-footed straight at Kuipers.

The closest scare for Albion came from the corner which followed Kuipers' fine stop from Maddison, stand-in skipper Charlie Oatway clearing David Morley's header off the line.

Paul Rogers was rested for the second Saturday running, although he replaced his replacement Steve Melton midway through the second half.

Adams, aware that rival boss Ian Atkins, was expecting to see Bobby Zamora alone down the middle, Gary Hart on the right and Paul Brooker on the left, also tinkered with his tactics.

Hart played alongside Zamora as an orthodox striker, with Brooker in the 'hole' behind, a system already successful this season.

It worked pretty well when Carlisle were defending deep in the first half, although Brooker's control on a bumpy pitch let him down more than once.

Albion's control on the other hand was total at times in the opening 45 minutes, although they failed to press Carlisle's on-loan Bolton keeper Matt Glennon into anything more than routine action.

Bobby Zamora, bidding to score for the seventh match running, went close with a couple of headers and Brooker shot straight at Glennon on the turn from Richard Carpenter's slide-rule pass.

Carlisle came into it a bit more in the second half, when Atkins changed to a flat back four and pushed Stuart Whitehead into midfield.

All of the meaningful opportunities were condensed into a frantic finish and Brooker's second-half substitute Lee Steele so nearly had the last word in what has been a campaign to forget for him.

Steele, who celebrated his full debut by scoring against Carlisle at Withdean in November, struck a left-foot shot against the base of a post.

So no goals, no bookings and no complaints from Adams, especially after a nine-match unbeaten run and the inability of Cardiff and Chesterfield to close the gap.

He said: "We played very well in the first half. Some excellent stuff carved them open at times and with a bit more quality in the final third it might have been different.

"I can't remember their keeper making too many saves. We huffed and puffed up front, but Steeley could have nicked it at the end.

"Carlisle deserve a bit of credit. They rolled up their sleeves and dug deep and we were thankful to Michel and Charlie Oatway at the death, but I was pleased with a point."

Carlisle have dropped two places and are only three points clear of safety, but you could see how they had squeezed 1-0 wins out of their previous four home games and Atkins was satisfied as well.

"It was a good point," he said. "Brighton showed they are a very good side and played with no fear. Against a lesser team we would have probably won."

Fear does funny things to teams at this stage of the season. Scunthorpe, who occupy the last play-off place, lost on Saturday but so too did the quartet pursuing them.

Albion, of course, have no such worries, although rest assured next-to-bottom Halifax will not give them a little extra help to the title tomorrow night.