Albion boss Micky Adams has sharpened his players up for a Devon double.

The Seagulls play their first match for a fortnight at Exeter on Saturday, then visit Torquay a week later.

Adams has been making sure his players are fighting fit to resume their promotion challenge since last Saturday's home game against Barnet was frozen off.

"A lot of managers at this time of year forget players lose their fitness," he said.

"That might be hard for some people to understand. They think if players are not fit now they will never be, but I think they lose a bit of fitness just after Christmas.

"That tends to be the time I give them a mini pre-season again. Maybe that is why my teams come good towards the latter stages of the season."

The early postponement of the Barnet match and bone-hard pitches at the University of Sussex training ground meant an extra day off for the players last Thursday.

They were in on Friday and Saturday and have been hard at it again this week until their customary break yesterday.

Albion follow successive Saturdays on the English Riviera with key matches against Rochdale and Cardiff, two of their promotion rivals.

"Exeter and Torquay are both struggling, but the other two will be really important and tough games," said Adams.

"That is not to say Exeter and Torquay won't be. The history of Albion suggests we tend to do well against top teams and struggle against the bottom teams, but we are looking to win both games if we can."

Albion drew a blank at Exeter last season and Adams will be expecting more from his front men after criticising them at Kidderminster 12 days ago.

Albion suffered another postponement last night, this time for the reserves against Barnet. The pitch at Woodside Road, Worthing, is waterlogged.