Gary Hart is having to deal with the unfamiliar feeling of rejection.

It ended a remarkable run for the former Stansted high-flier when Micky Adams dropped him to the bench at Torquay last Saturday.

You have to go back to August 1998, right at the start of Hart's career with the Seagulls, to find the last time he was axed.

Brian Horton left him out of the starting line-up for one match immediately after his debut in a 2-2 draw against Chester at Gillingham. Hart had been an ever-present ever since, with the exception of occasional absences caused by injury, illness or suspension.

In fact, his omission at Torquay interrupted a sequence of 35 successive League starts stretching back to the defeat at Lincoln last March, when he was banned.

The 25-year-old front man is philosophical about the setback. "I've just got to get on with it," he said. "Everybody goes through their bad stages.

"I spoke to the gaffer about it. He told me what he wants me to do and I have got to get my confidence back."

Hart refuses to blame his switch from orthodox striker to right winger.

"I have been playing out of position, but the gaffer asked me if I was willing to play there and I said yes. I took the responsibility and it hasn't worked out."

Michel Kuipers, also axed to the bench at Torquay, has been boosted by Adams' decision to continue naming a spare keeper for the rest of the season.

"I don't want to be leaving myself short now of some sort of goalkeeping cover if anything happens," the boss explained.

"I did it towards the end of last season as well and I think now is the time to put a keeper on the bench for every game."