Paul Rogers was a surprise absentee from the starting line-up for Albion's first home match of the season.

Manager Micky Adams plumped for Darren Freeman instead for the visit of Rochdale.

Skipper Rogers was virtually an ever present in the middle of midfield last season.

Adams brought on Freeman in his place at half time in last Saturday's opening 2-0 defeat at Southend. Charlie Oatway took over the captaincy and he continued in that role today.

Adams selected the line-up which started the second half of the Southend match. This meant Mark Cartwright kept his place for his first start in goal at the expense of Michel Kuipers.

Dutchman Kuipers, like Rogers replaced for the second half at Roots Hall, was not even among the substitutes.

Scott Ramsay, Rod Thomas and Steve Melton, all on the scoresheet for the Reserves in midweek, were on the bench, with Lee Steele sidelined by an ankle injury.

Rochdale named the side held to a 1-1 home draw by promotion favourites Darlington last Saturday.

Their only change was on the bench, the fit-again Graham Lancashire replacing injured loan signing Gary Hamilton from Blackburn.

Lancashire scored the only goal when Rochdale beat Albion at Spotland in January to stretch their unbeaten run against the Seagulls to five games.

Mayo's long throw launched an early raid by Albion. It reached Hart and then Freeman on the right flank via Brooker.

Freeman decided to cross first time, which was a good bit of thinking, but the delivery was just too far ahead of Hart.

Cartwright continued the form he showed in the second half at Southend with a good save in the third minute.

He dived to his right to hold Platt's header from a cross by Davies.

It was a warning to the Seagulls from the lanky Platt, whose two late goals gave Rochdale a remarkable 4-3 victory at Withdean just before Christmas.

Davies, a former youth team-mate of David Beckham at Manchester United, also needed to be watched by Watson.

The left winger, signed from Macclesfield in the summer, marked his debut with Rochdale's equaliser from the penalty spot against Darlington.

Albion were the next to threaten, Hart heading over when Zamora nodded Oatway's centre from the left back across the face of goal.

Rochdale were looking dangerous going forward and Davies was indeed the supplier when they went ahead in the 14th minute.

His cross was met with a firm downward header by the veteran Ford at the far post.

Ford, awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List, showed again he still has plenty to offer at the ripe old age of 41. It was a nice way for Rochdale's assistant manager to celebrate his 24th season in the League.

Fortunately for Albion, the visitors committed the cardinal sin of losing concentration soon after going in front.

Their lead lasted just three minutes as Zamora marked his return to Withdean by maintaining his impressive scoring rate.

The teenage striker, signed from Bristol Rovers for £100,000 just before the start of the season, found space inside the box from Watson's inswinging cross.

Zamora still had plenty to do, but he planted a precise header from ten yards beyond Edwards' left hand.

It elevated his tally for the Seagulls to seven goals in eight games following his impressive loan spell last season.

The flurry of action continued as, within two minutes of Albion restoring parity, both sides were reduced to ten men.

Crosby and Ellis clashed in an incident just outside Albion's area. It seemed fairly innocuous, a clash likely to yield at worst a yellow card for both. Instead, rookie referee Phil Prosser stunned the players and another big Withdean crowd by brandishing the red card to first Crosby, then Ellis.

The Rochdale forward was so bemused by the decision that it took some time for him to leave the pitch. The loss of Crosby forced Adams into a reshuffle, Rogers coming on in the centre of defence at the expense of the unfortunate Freeman.

Prosser, in his first season on the League list, was quick to reach into his pocket once more in the 26th minute to book Hart for a challenge on Hill inside the Rochdale area.

Albion's marking at the back was still leaving a lot to be desired. Ware almost restored Rochdale's lead, heading just wide as he plunged to reach Evans' cross from the right flank.

Hart unperturbed by his caution, demonstrated neat skill on the half hour mark before firing a right foot shot narrowly wide of the far post from 18 yards.

Hill finished joint top of the Third Division bad boys table last season with one red card and 13 bookings.

It was no surprise therefore when the visitors' experienced central defender was cautioned eight minutes from the break for holding back Zamora.

Rochdale were being forced to defend desperately on occasions as half time approached, with Albion dominating possession and pegging them back inside their own territory.

Albion grabbed the goal their growing superiority deserved with the last kick of an incident crammed half, and it was that man Zamora doing the damage again.

Hart's pass slipped him clear of the Rochdale defence through the inside right channel as they looked in vain for an offside flag.

The youngster demonstrated a calmness beyond his years by bending a left-foot effort past the diving Edwards into the far corner.

With the boost of Zamora's dramatic first half double, the Seagulls were entitled to start the second half full of confidence.

The non-appearance of the dangerous Davies for the visitors was an added bonus, Oliver replacing him on the left hand side of midfield.

One fluent passing move early into the restart, involving several players, emphasised the fillip given to Albion by their wonder kid. Rochdale were anxious to show, however, that they were not a spent force.

Former Walsall marksman Platt cut inside before shooting straight at Cartwright from 20 yards.

A better opportunity fell to Flitcroft shortly afterwards, but he side-footed wide from a central position just outside the Albion box.

Edwards, surely one of the smallest goalkeepers in the League, had trouble dealing with a high ball under pressure from the similarly diminutive Brooker.

The keeper's punch was unconvincing, but Carpenter's intelligent attempt to find the vacant net with a chip from 25 yards drifted wide.

There was a scare for Albion in the 57th minute when Ford, looking yards offside, raced on to a pass from Todd. The linesman's flag stayed down, but Ford blazed wastefully wide.

Two more Rochdale players went into Prosser's book within two minutes of each other, Ware for a foul on Oatway and Todd for pulling back Hart.

Oatway was then cautioned by the card-happy Prosser for breaking from the wall too quickly when Rochdale had a free-kick 20 yards out.

The kick was then re-taken ten yards closer to Albion's goal under new regulations introduced this season, but Ware shot wide. The crowd booed when Zamora was booked on 66 minutes.

Albion Youth enjoyed a 2-1 win over Barnet earlier today, thanks to goals from Rupert Sansom and Shaun Wilkinson.

FULL match verdict and pictures from Withdean in Monday's Argus.