Brighton coach Bert Merritt insists his side have cleaned up their act, despite a recent spate of sin-binnings.

Three Brighton players were shown the yellow card in last week's frustrating 17-13 defeat at East Grinstead in London Three South East.

That followed on from the previous away reverse at Crawley, in which two players were binned as Brighton relinquished an early lead.

It has been a tough start to the season for the Waterhall club.

Merritt was hoping today's derby with Lewes would see them score their first win under his command but is convinced they are already on the way to cleaning up their act.

He said: "We are playing attractive, 15-man rugby and, if the referees want to enjoy the game, they will enter into the same spirit.

"We seem to be having a problem with refereeing but we will not lower our standards.

"I don't like to criticise referees because you hear criticism at any match you go to, but I have to ask why we had three players sin-binned last week when there was no foul play.

"They were technical offences but not persistent and not what you could call professional fouls. In one instance it was debatable whether it was even a penalty offence.

"Mark Jenkins was sin-binned for coming offside at a ruck and Lee Raikes was done for grabbing a player's leg in a maul and lifting him off the ground.

"You see that every week and I have never even seen it penalised before. It wasn't dangerous.

"James Jeffries is still shaking his head. No-one could work out why he was sin-binned.

"There was virtually no foul play. I think he broke early from a ruck or maul.

"It is very difficult to play a team with a big pack like East Grinstead had when you have got 14 men for 30 minutes.

"That showed when they got a penalty try from a scrum and a pushover try.

"East Grinstead played exactly the right tactics against 14 men. It wasn't pretty rugby but it was winning rugby and I have nothing against them.

"It was still a good game. Our guys are running onto the ball and playing 15-man rugby."

Merritt suspects his side may have acquired a reputation for foul play in recent seasons and are now paying the price.

He said: "There has got to be something there. East Grinstead were infringing and they did not have a player sin-binned.

"They have got to give Brighton a fair go. The guys are being coached properly and playing the game properly. Let's enjoy our Saturday afternoons."

Merritt hopes the arrival of new outside half Andy Pinnock, who was on the books of Harlequins, may help his side launch a revival.

Danie Venter is also back to offer a valuable lineout option.

After next week's break, Brighton face a a trip to Dunstonians and a home clash with Sidcup and survival still looks their main target.

But Merritt said: "We can still be one of those awkward teams who cause problems for the leading teams in one-off games."

At least Waterhall's Irish connection have provided some light relief this week.

Fullback Morgan O'Connell and wing Dave Pegler collided with each other at Grinstead and both came out of it battered and bruised.

Merritt joked: "We reckon they couldn't understand each other's Irish accents."