A collectors' item from Charlie Oatway launched Albion's biggest home win for nine months.

The combative midfielder celebrated his return from a galling three-match ban with his first League goal since December 1999.

Oatway's only goal last season was a spectacular one in the FA Cup annihalation of Aldershot.

You have to go back to a post-Christmas trip to Rotherham for the last time he struck in the League.

Oatway, Albion's enforcer in the centre of the park, opened the floodgates with a fine solo effort in the 37th minute.

He robbed Martin Bullock with a typical bone-crunching tackle 35 yards out. Oatway then just kept advancing as the Blackpool defence backed off before finding the bottom corner of the net with a low right-foot drive from the edge of the area.

His contribution vindicated the decision by manager Micky Adams to recall him after his hotly disputed red card for violent conduct on the pre-season tour of Ireland ruled him out against Wigan, Wimbledon and Tranmere.

Adams said: "It was a terrific tackle in the first place. He got forward, although I'm not sure what he was doing there, it hit a few bobbles and went in.

"Charlie has been really disappointed by not being able to play, but he has come back and showed he will play a big part in what we are trying to do this season."

Adams, dissatisfied with the display in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Tranmere, also brought skipper Paul Rogers straight back from suspension at the expense of Steve Melton.

Oatway replaced German Dirk Lehmann as the 4-3-3 formation which proved so successful last season was restored.

Rogers must still be wondering how he failed to get on the scoresheet. He went close on several occasions, notably with a glancing header against the bar from a Paul Watson corner.

But the Seagulls struggled for cohesion in the first half and they were grateful for another remarkable save by the hero of Tranmere, Michel Kuipers.

Just four minutes had elapsed when a slip by Danny Cullip freed John Murphy to find Brett Ormerod inside the box.

Simon Morgan brought Ormerod down for a clearcut penalty, but Murphy's spot-kick was stopped superbly by Kuipers diving to his right.

Adams described it as an "obvious turning point", adding: "That is what Michel is paid for. I was disappointed at conceding the penalty. It was a mistake by Danny Cullip, who slipped over, so I will have to have word with the groundsman again!

"Simon should have stayed on his feet, but Michel pulled off a great save.

"After the first 20 minutes I thought there were goals to be had at both ends. I wasn't happy with our first half performance, but we settled down in the second half and looked a little bit more confident.

"When we get the ball down and pass we are as good as any team in the division."

The killer goal, two minutes into the restart, kicked-off another influential show as a substitute by Lee Steele, which has been rewarded with his removal from the transfer list.

Steele came on for Gary Hart in the 36th minute. It was a tactical switch rather than the result of a knock on the knee for Hart, and Steele went on to complete a hat-trick of eyecatching contributions.

Against Wigan he went straight on to score the winner. Against Wimbledon he helped set up both goals for Bobby Zamora. This time he went one better, with another goal plus two assists.

A surging run down the left and cross in the 47th minute was met with a precise side-foot finish via a post by Richard Carpenter from the edge of the area.

That knocked the stuffing out of injury-hit Blackpool, missing their first choice back four.

Steele scored the third on 62 minutes, a flying header at the near post after Watson released Paul Brooker down the right to provide a pinpoint cross.

Ten minutes later Steele turned supplier again with a right-wing centre for the unmarked Bobby Zamora to head his fourth goal in five games from close range.

Blackpool lost the plot once Steele had made it 3-0. Midfielder Bullock was sent-off for a second bookable offence and their frustrated manager Steve McMahon followed suit after an unsavoury row with referee Ray Olivier.

McMahon exploded in the 64th minute when Olivier refused to let the injured Lee Collins back on the pitch until the ball had gone out of play.

Bullock, stupidly cautioned in the first half for kicking the ball away, talked his way into a second yellow card.

Olivier then ordered McMahon from the dugout, but he refused to go at first. There were also unsubstantiated allegations that the former Liverpool maestro pushed the fourth official before he was escorted across the pitch to the dressing rooms by two stewards.

Referees often let players back onto the pitch while the game is in progress, but McMahon's behaviour was still inexcusable and could land him in hot water with the FA.

There are no such worries for a chirpy Adams. "I changed the formation slightly and I was right again wasn"t I? I must be a lucky manager," he said.

"It's the sort of start we wanted, eight points from four games. Two points a game gets you promotion, but let's not get carried away.

"There is a lot of hard work to be done, but we are all looking forward to the Northampton game now."

Southampton assistant Mick Wadsworth watched Albion's tenth Withdean win on the trot, their biggest home victory since beating Shrewsbury by the same score last November and Zamora's tenth home goal in nine games. The Saints certainly won't be fancying their trip to Withdean in the Worthington Cup next month.