Albion manager Mark McGhee has sent his players orienteering as they try to head in the right direction for automatic promotion.

The first team squad, equipped with maps, went on a cross-country run from Lancing Leisure Centre yon Tuesday, instead of a normal training session at Falmer.

It is the latest in a series of training innovations introduced by McGhee since his appointment seven weeks ago.

"One of the things I keep saying is that we are trying to improve them mentally as well as physically," said McGhee. "In orienteering they have got to think as well as run.

"You have got to keep players interested. I like to challenge them at times and these sort of things are good for that, as well as feeding the spirit of the whole camp."

The Seagulls have also played badminton and been swimming to break up the normal training routine.

"It's partly because we cannot use the training ground on Wednesdays and I don't always want to give them days off," McGhee said.

"I want to keep them ticking over, particularly when there is a good spirit about the place and you can feed that.

"You are always looking for something different and the boys enjoyed the badminton. It was competitive and good fun.

"The swimming was a training exercise so that we could take the weight off their legs but still work them."

McGhee hopes to be boosted by the return from injuries of captain Danny Cullip and Richard Carpenter for third-placed Albion's trip to seventh-bottom Tranmere on Saturday.

Cullip has missed the last two matches with a groin problem, while hamstring damage ruled Carpenter out of last Friday's 1-1 home draw with Port Vale.

"We expect them both to join in training by the end of the week," McGhee said. "I think they have got a good chance of being fit for Saturday.

"We thought last Thursday Danny had a chance of being fit for the Port Vale game but then on Friday morning he had a reaction."

Gary Hart has recovered from an elbow in the eye, which blurred his vision and forced him off in the first half against Vale.

The reserves will not be in action again until the Sussex Senior Cup third round tie at Eastbourne Town on January 14 following the postponement of a friendly against Portsmouth.