ALBION matchwinner Gary Hart reckons strike partner Scott Ramsay is his lucky charm.

Hart hit his ninth goal of the season to clinch another three points for the soaring Seagulls at Barnet on Saturday.

Four of those have been scored when teenager Ramsay has been alongside him up front.

"Scotty has been playing well and at the moment he is a lucky omen for me," Hart said.

"We have played together four times now from the start of games and I have scored in every one, against Millwall, Rochdale, Macclesfield and Barnet. I went through a long period without scoring, so to get three on the trot is something.

"That was only my second away goal, which isn't a great record, but it gave us three points. That's all I care about."

Albion's sixth win out of seven, combined with Hartlepool's last-gasp defeat at York, means they are now just three points and three places outside the play-offs.

Pleased

Manager Micky Adams is just happy for the moment to have passed last season's total.

""I am pleased for the Brighton public that they are talking about the play-offs at this stage," said Adams. "I am not getting carried away by that.

"The emphasis before the game on Saturday was that we were on 53 points and to be the most successful Brighton team over the last five years we had to get 56. Now we have achieved that.

"I didn't get carried way with the start we had, I certainly didn't get carried away when people were calling for my head and I hope we are all reaping the rewards.

"Now who knows what we can achieve, but we have got a difficult game against Swansea on Saturday."

Charlie Oatway went off early in the second half with a dead leg, but his replacement Warren Aspinall provided the pass for Hart's goal.

"We now have competition for places which is good, particularly after bringing Martin Ling into the squad," Adams added. "Players are disappointed now about not being in the 16.

"Around Christmas they weren't worried about that, which shows how much progress we have made."

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