Albion manager Mark McGhee today predicted his team will still make the play-offs.

The Seagulls have dropped back out of the top six following another away defeat at Grimsby on Saturday.

They are eighth, a point outside the play-offs, ahead of Saturday's south coast derby against Bournemouth at Withdean.

McGhee, reflecting on a miserable run of one away point out of 18, said: "We have got a home game next, so we can't do anything about that until we play away again.

"First and foremost we have got to win against Bournemouth.

"There is still a third of the season left, we still have a big opportunity to make the play-offs and we thoroughly expect to do so."

McGhee refused to blame stand-in keeper Stuart Jones for Grimsby's controversial 75th-minute winner after Trevor Benjamin's third goal in four games cancelled out Isaiah Rankin's early opener on his debut for the Mariners.

Substitute Phil Jevons forced in the rebound when Jones, deputising for the injured Ben Roberts and Michel Kuipers, failed to hold Iain Anderson's shot on a rain-sodden pitch.

"It was an horrendous day for goalies," McGhee said. "Stuart is a bit disappointed he didn't get more protection from the referee.

"He is not convinced it had crossed the line but he is convinced he had two hands on the ball when the boy slid in with both feet."

Grimsby finished with ten men, goalkeeper Aidan Davison seeing red on the stroke of full time for allegedly head-butting Benjamin.

Graham Rodger, Grimsby's caretaker manager, felt Benjamin was fortunate to escape punishment. "I just saw a huge rumpus," he said. "When you see something like that you think two reds are going to go up, one either way."

Albion leftback Kerry Mayo serves a one-match suspension against Bournemouth.