Chris McPhee gave Albion fans something to smile about as the post-Zamora era kicked off with a win at sun-baked Crawley on Saturday.

The 20-year-old striker took his tally to four goals in two pre-season friendlies as Albion came from behind to beat Crawley 2-1.

His brace included a delightful winner and capped an industrious display by the second year professional who has made just a handful of first team appearances.

It would be wrong to burden McPhee with the pressure of replacing Bobby Zamora, the talismanic striker and golden boy who completed a £1.5million move to Tottenham on Friday.

Albion boss Steve Coppell will surely bring in a couple of strikers before the season starts but McPhee is determined to be part of the manager's plans for the forthcoming Second Division campaign.

McPhee said: "I am just going to keep my head down and do as well as I can, both in training and the pre-season friendlies, and see what happens come the start of the season.

"I have got ambitions of becoming part of the first team but that is up to the manager and I can only do what I do on the pitch.

"I am just going to work hard and try to make sure that I am always in the manager's head for the rest of the season."

Coppell retained only four players who had started the opening pre-season friendly at Arundel, which indicates he plans to give all his squad a chance before the League opener at Oldham on August 9.

There was no Danny Cullip or Paul Watson but Albion fans got to see new signing Ben Roberts in the second half when all six substitutes were used.

McPhee and trialist Carl Wilson-Denis played up front in the first half while David Lee got a chance to partner both players in the second period when Crawley fielded an almost completely different side.

There was enthusiastic applause from the Brighton supporters before kick off when the PA announcer wished Zamora all the best on his move to Spurs but there was not too much to cheer about in a first half when Crawley started well and ended up taking the lead before half time.

In between, Albion dominated possession for long periods but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.

The first real chance fell to Crawley on nine minutes when Adam Hinshelwood's misplaced header set up Charlie MacDonald but his low shot was turned round the post by a sprawling Michel Kuipers.

Albion had the ball in the net on 15 minutes when McPhee pounced after a Wilson-Denis shot was saved but a questionable linesman's flag ruled out the goal and ultimately denied McPhee a hat-trick.

McPhee and Wilson-Denis got little change out of the Crawley's central defensive duo Marc Pullan and Steve Causon and when both had openings they failed to take advantage.

Gary Hart, full of zest as always, hit the crossbar on 36 minutes with an audacious first time shot following a woefully misplaced free kick by Crawley's otherwise impressive goalkeeper Andy Little.

The deadlock was finally broken on 43 minutes by former Albion midfielder Paul Armstrong.

There was a certain irony about the goal. Armstrong made the last of his 53 League appearances for the Seagulls in the game before Zamora made his Albion debut in February 2000. This was the Irishman's first game back in Sussex following three years in Scotland and it came in the first match after Bobby Z's departure.

The midfielder capped his home debut with a peach of a goal. Kuipers came but failed to collect Mo Harkin's corner, an initial strike was blocked but the ball fell for Armstrong on the edge of the penalty area and he unleashed a shot in the top corner of the net.

The game opened up in the second half. Lively substitute Fabian Forde had a couple of chances for Crawley, one forcing a brave save from new signing Roberts.

At the other end, Albion continually stretched a young Crawley defence as Hart and John Piercy, before he went off feeling ill, offered width while McPhee and Lee made runs which opened up the hosts.

There was little surprise when Albion equalised on 68 minutes, McPhee sliding in to meet Lee's measured cross from the right to plant the ball past Little.

The winner came four minutes from time when McPhee picked up the ball 20 yards out in the inside left channel, dropped one shoulder and curled a delightful right foot shot into the far corner over Little.

For Albion, there were plusses, most notably McPhee's brace and an excellent second-half performance from Adam Virgo.

Albion skipper for the day charlie Oatway was pleased with the run-out.

He said: "Everyone has got through the game and we didn't get beaten, not that the result matters but it is always nice.

"It is all about picking up fitness. Obviously we are still three weeks away so if you can gradually pick that up every day then hopefully by the start of the season you will be sharp mentally and physically.

"I am very pleased with the way things have been going. Everyone has been positive. Hopefully the gaffer will bring in one or two next week and we will just take it from there."

As for Zamora going, Oatway added: "Good luck to the boy. He has done well for the club, for the fans and for the bank. In the same breath, the club has done well by him.

"They gave him a lengthy contract and looked after him so everyone, hopefully, is quids in and happy. I hope that's the case and let's move on."

Crawley scorer Armstrong said: "I wasn't doing that well and the goal got me out of a hole a little bit. It just bounced down and I hit it. I sliced it a little but those are the ones that go in.

"Crawley have such a good set-up and they seem to be financially secure so it would be nice to be pushing for promotion.

"Brighton were unfortunate to go down last year and I am sure they will do well this year."

Bobby Zamora scored twice on his debut as Tottenham beat Oxford 3-0 in a pre-season friendly yesterday.

It took the striker just 21 minutes to get off the mark.

He latched onto a pass from Gustavo Poyet before beating Oxford goalkeeper Simon Cox.

He added a second when he darted between Cox and former Albion defender Andy Crosby in the 44th minute.

Zamora was substituted at half-time, replaced by Robbie Keane, who chipped in with a third goal when from long range in the 63rd minute.