Albion defender Robbie Pethick is reeling over a red card coincidence as he tries to regain a place in the starting line-up.

Pethick was sent-off in the reserves on Wednesday for a tackle which denied Crystal Palace striker Tom Soares a goalscoring opportunity.

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of his dismissal in the Seagulls' First Division defeat at Millwall last season.

Pethick, 33 on Monday, said: "I thought the decision against Palace was very harsh.

"The ref said it was a tackle from behind, but I didn't think it mattered if you got the ball. I got a lot of the ball as well, because it went ten or 15 yards, so I wasn't very happy about it.

"I was sent off last year at Millwall for a supposed elbow which never happened."

Pethick's latest red card, watched by boss Steve Coppell, could not have come at a worse time, even though he will only be banned for one reserve game.

He lost his place in the centre of defence against his old club Plymouth last Saturday, when Coppell kept faith with Guy Butters alongside fit-again captain Danny Cullip.

"I didn't know it only counted for reserve games until the secretary Derek Allan came in and told me," said Pethick.

"It's just disappointing to be sent off anyway. You don't want to miss any football, whether reserves or first team. Hopefully the gaffer won't hold it against me.

"I was surprised to be left out at Plymouth after we kept a clean sheet in the previous game against Luton, but the gaffer had his reasons for putting Danny and Guy together.

"I have just got to take it on the chin, crack on and impress him, which I was hoping to do on Wednesday."

Nathan Jones completes his three-match ban at Colchester next Saturday but Geoff Pitcher's immediate future is unclear due to further injury problems.

The midfielder, whose loan spell with Stevenage ends today, has suffered a recurrence of groin trouble which may require more surgery.

Goalkeeper Michel Kuipers has refused to be drawn on his future beyond his month on loan to Hull.

The Dutchman, in line for his debut for the Tigers in Monday's visit to Doncaster, said: "I enjoy Brighton and everything about the club. At the moment I'm just looking until the end of this month, then take it from there."

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